140 : Beyond the Hype: Jaime Schwarz on NFTs, Creator Royalties & the Future of Digital IP

In this episode of Living on Blockchain, we sit down with Jaime Schwarz, founder of MRKD and the author of the first-ever NFT patent filed in 2017.

Jaime is no stranger to the intersection of art, tech, and intellectual property. From collaborating with cultural legends like Public Enemy’s Keith Shocklee to building tools that empower creators to mint, manage, and monetize their digital work — his insights go far beyond the noise.

We explore:

• The original vision behind NFTs (and what went wrong)

• Why creator royalties still matter — and how to protect them

• How MRKD is building infrastructure to make Web3 invisible for everyday creators

• Lessons from the early days of crypto IP and what’s coming next

If you’re interested in long-term value, creator rights, and how NFTs evolve from collectibles into infrastructure, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in and explore how digital ownership is being redefined — one smart contract at a time.