51
Nike has officially dropped its lawsuit against StockX, the online marketplace and sneaker reseller, according to a filing submitted last Friday in New York federal court.
The dispute began in 2022, when Nike accused StockX of infringing its trademarks through the release of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) depicting Nike sneakers.
Nike argued that the digital assets could mislead consumers into believing the NFTs were affiliated with or authorized by the brand. StockX denied these claims, defending its use of NFTs as a legitimate extension of its marketplace services.
After almost three years of legal proceedings, the companies released a joint statement confirming the case had been resolved “amicably” under confidential terms.
The lawsuit emerged during Nike’s early expansion into the NFT sector. In late 2021, the company acquired RTFKT, a digital fashion brand specializing in NFT sneakers and virtual collectibles. Nike went on to launch several NFT collections and collaborations.
However, the sharp downturn in the NFT market since its 2021–2022 peak has affected these ventures. Earlier this year, Nike shut down RTFKT operations and now faces a $5 million class action lawsuit from NFT holders alleging the closure devalued their purchases.
Nike’s legal clash with StockX is not the first high-profile NFT trademark case.
In 2022, Hermès won a lawsuit against artist Mason Rothschild over the “MetaBirkins” NFT collection, securing $133,000 in damages. More recently, Yuga Labs, the company behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club, obtained a $1.6 million judgment in a copyright case against artist Ryder Ripps.
Was this article interesting?