Imagine being able to own and trade the underlying identifier of your digital identity. That’s exactly what's happening with Farcaster IDs (FIDs) — unique numeric handles assigned to every user on Farcaster. These IDs aren’t just ordinary usernames; they’re on-chain assets that can be collected, bought, and sold like domain names or NFTs. In fact, some collectors are already paying serious money for low or unique FIDs, viewing them as digital collectibles.
Numbers have meaning, and for many Farcaster users a specific FID is more than just an account number. Here are a few reasons these numeric handles have become sought-after collectibles:
Status symbol: Low-digit FIDs (e.g. under 1,000) serve as a status symbol, similar to having an early Twitter handle or a rare username. An early, smaller number can signify that you have one of the first FIDs on the platform.
Lucky or iconic numbers: Certain digits carry cultural or internet significance. For example, 8 is considered a lucky number in Asian culture. Likewise, internet-famous numbers like 420 or 69 attract attention for their memability and novelty.
Patterned numbers: Repeating or sequential number patterns (like 1234, 7777, or 11111) are collected for fun, much like rare items in a game. These patterns are visually distinctive and scarce, which gives them a collectible appeal.
“OG” badge: As Farcaster grows, having an early or unique FID could be seen as an OG (original gangster) badge in the community.
FarMarket (fid.market) is the go-to marketplace for Farcaster IDs, built by far.quest! It allows users to list their FIDs for sale, place bids on FIDs, or buy FIDs outright. If you’re looking to trade FIDs, here’s how to get started:
Connect your wallet: Visit FarMarket and connect a wallet (like MetaMask) to authenticate your account. This lets you interact with the marketplace using your Ethereum (Optimism) address.
Browse or search FIDs: Explore the marketplace for available FIDs. You can scroll through listed FIDs or use the search function to find a specific number that interests you.
Read the FAQ: We have comprehensive FAQ on the top right of FarMarket that explains everything you need to know about FIDs. For example, "fnames" or usernames can be reassigned by the Farcaster team as they are centrally controlled, making the FID number the specific decentralized asset - you shouldn't buy a FID for the fname.
Make an offer or buy now: Found a FID you want? If the seller has set a price, you can purchase it instantly. Otherwise, you can place a bid (offer) at a price you're willing to pay, and the owner can choose to accept it.
Secure your new FID: After buying, finalize ownership by updating your Farcaster account’s signers (the keys/accounts authorized to control the ID). This step ensures you have full control over casts (posts) and account management for your newly acquired FID.
Whether you’re collecting for fun, prestige, or potential future value, the FID market is growing quickly. If you’re curious, check out FarMarket (fid.market) and see if there’s a number that speaks to you!
~ jcdenton.cast & nico.cast
Over 20k subscribers
16
Would you upgrade your FID to a lower number if you could? It's fascinating how numbers important to people, e.g. 888 in China! e.g. Counterstrike collectors are obsessed about specific float numbers and combinations for skins (e.g. 0.0001337). https://warpcast.com/sekoweed.eth/0xfe6d6784
I know @samuellhuber.eth can attest to the counterstrike float numerology part 😄
yes 100% if i could get fid 1337 or 1010 i'd pay for that (as long as it didn't change my account history)
not possible :( the fid is attached to the account
You unlocked a core memory of low digit steam accounts, 6 digit and below were the golden ones 👌
Feel like im comfortable with the one i had (provenance), but if a low or good fid comes up ill scoop it
Hehe I don't know why but yes I'd love a lower FID
I wish the data and identities also would be transferrable !
Pretty sure there isn’t a price I would sell my sub 4k
Not even 6 figures? 👀 That's committed!
Probably not because, as I understand it, the fname associated with it cannot be changed. You can add a new ENS but the original fname is forever
To clarify, fname's are centralized, they can and will be reassigned! In fact, we warn people not to buy FIDs for their fname's because Warpcast has re-assigned many fnames in the past!
@vinayvasanji.eth just posted a Farcaster ID/fid.market guide since there's a lot of confusion :) Used too many exclamations in my last cast, not yelling haha https://news.far.quest/farcaster-id-guide
just confused, how much does it cost?
We might have to write a blog post about FarMarket, Farcaster IDs, etc! cc @n There is a FAQ at the top right corner of far.quest/market
100%, that would be great 🎲 12 $degen
✅ 12 tipped ∙ 74 remaining 201 / 275 (73%) 🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜⬜
love digits love numbers love fids😆
It seems like this could create chaos. Example the history of FID.
Ideally this is all abstracted away from the client and done at the protocol level, but Farcaster clients could surface a FID history for a user similar to how counterstrike marketplaces show item history. This is all hypothetical, but it's all an engineering problem if the demand is there :) Life finds a way!
That would be amazing if you could solve that problem! I'll wait for that day and buy FID of @dwr.eth