- Starbucks is shutting down its Odyssey NFT rewards program on March 31 after a beta test period, closing quests and community servers.
- Odyssey offered additional blockchain rewards alongside Starbucks’ normal loyalty program, including collectible NFT stamps.
- While ending this beta test, Starbucks says it will continue evolving its approach to Web3 rewards and may relaunch a new crypto loyalty program in the future.
Starbucks is shutting down its Odyssey NFT rewards program built on Polygon later this month, closing the beta test as the coffee giant rethinks its approach to blockchain rewards.
Odyssey Beta Shutting Down on March 31
The Odyssey Beta program will officially close on March 31, with quests and activities no longer available starting March 25. Additionally, the <a href="https://blocknews.com/sec-charges-social-media-influencers-in-100-million-stock-manipulation-scheme-promoted-on-discord-and-twitter/" title="<strong>SEC Charges Social Media Influencers In $100 Million Stock Manipulation Scheme Promoted On Discord And TwitterDiscord server for Odyssey will shut down on March 18. Starbucks has not provided details on if or when Odyssey may return in the future.
“The Starbucks Odyssey Beta must come to an end to prepare for what comes next, as we continue to evolve the program,” said an FAQ from the company about the shutdown. Starbucks claims it is “grateful for your consistent engagement and feedback” during the beta test of Odyssey.
Major Brands Testing Web3 Rewards
Starbucks launched Odyssey in late 2022 as one of the largest brands experimenting with blockchain-based rewards and NFTs. Odyssey existed alongside Starbucks’ traditional rewards program, offering additional benefits to customers for buying coffee and engaging with branding content. Rewards included NFT stamps, classes, and coffee farm tours.
Odyssey remained in closed beta with occasional new user signups. Some early free NFT stamps were resold for nearly $2,000 each on secondary markets earlier this year, sparking speculation about their future value.
What’s Next for Starbucks and Crypto?
According to Starbucks, Odyssey NFT assets will transition to Nifty Gateway’s marketplace following the shutdown. The NFTs are minted on Polygon, allowing them to be used across different crypto apps and services.
It’s unclear whether Starbucks will relaunch Odyssey or debut a new blockchain-based loyalty program in the future. While shutting down this beta test, Starbucks says it looks forward to “bringing these learnings to a broader audience.” For now, the coffee giant is stepping back from NFT rewards but may return to the Web3 space with a different approach.
