Mudwater details how BAYC card packs work to be claimed before January 18, 2027

On October 23, 2026, the Mudwater platform published a detailed guide explaining the claim mechanism for NFT card packs linked to the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) collections, with a deadline set for January 18, 2027. This announcement clarifies holder rights and introduces a new secondary market for these assets, which is likely to influence the liquidity and valuation of Yuga Labs' iconic NFTs. Context The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) collections, launched in 2021 and 2022 respectively by Yuga Labs, are among the most valued NFT projects in the world. These "profile pictures" (PFP) have evolved into complex ecosystems, integrating intellectual property rights, exclusive events, and distribution mechanisms for derivative assets. In 2026, Yuga Labs diversified its offering with Mudwater, a hybrid collection blending physical cards and NFTs, designed to extend the utility of BAYC and MAYC beyond their initial function as digital profiles. The NFT market, after a peak in 2021-2022, experienced a marked correction, but "blue-chip" collections like BAYC maintain a loyal holder base. According to CryptoScore Pro data as of October 23, 2026, the global crypto-asset market shows relative stability, with a Fear & Greed index at 50/100 (neutral), while bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) recorded modest variations over seven days (+0.41% and -1.04% respectively). In this context, announcements from Yuga Labs, a historical player in the sector, are scrutinized for their potential to reignite enthusiasm for collectible NFTs. The Facts Mudwater, an NFT content creation platform, released a guide on October 23, 2026, explaining the procedures for claiming card packs linked to the BAYC and MAYC collections. Here are the key elements, attributed to their sources: Each BAYC NFT holder can claim 10 packs , while a MAYC holder receives 2 , according to the Mudwater guide and statements from Yuga Labs via the X account @0xQuit. The claim deadline is set for January 18, 2027, at 7:00 PM (ET) , or January 19, 2027, at 00:00 UTC, after which unclaimed packs will become inactive. Packs are distributed as NFTs on the Solana blockchain, although the claim is performed via Ethereum . Each pack contains 10 NFT cards , with a total of 120 different designs divided into four categories (Club, Mutant, Cosmic, and Arcana), according to the official Mudwater website. The overall supply is limited to 240,000 packs , or 10,000 boxes of 24 packs each. A delegation mechanism allows holders to transfer their claim rights to a third party via a smart contract, in accordance with the ERC-721 standard. In the event of a resale of the BAYC or MAYC NFT before claiming, the unclaimed packs are transferred to the new owner, as specified by @0xQuit in an explanatory thread on X. Unclaimed packs may be sold on the secondary market, although Mudwater has not communicated figures on expected volumes or prices. The guide also mentions a 2.5% reflection system on each transaction, redistributed to holders of tokenized packs, boxes, or crates, as well as a 2.5% royalty (for a total of 5% on-chain fees), half of which is used to purchase APE tokens, according to explanations from @0xQuit. Several pieces of information remain undisclosed: the estimated market value of the cards contained in the packs, the number of packs already claimed to date, as well as the technical details of the partnership between Mudwater and Yuga Labs. Although Mudwater has published an informative guide, no official confirmation of a contractual partnership with BAYC or MAYC has been provided. Furthermore, CryptoScore Pro data as of October 23, 2026, mentions no immediate impact on the prices of BAYC or MAYC NFTs following this announcement. Understanding Key Concepts Smart Contract and ERC-721 Delegation A smart contract is a self-executing program on a blockchain that applies predefined rules without human intervention. In the case of Mudwater, the smart contract verifies the ownership of a BAYC or MAYC NFT to unlock the right to claim a pack. Delegation , on the other hand, allows an NFT owner to temporarily transfer their rights (such as claiming a pack) to a third party via the approve function of the ERC-721 standard. For example, a BAYC holder can authorize a friend to claim their packs on their behalf, without transferring ownership of the NFT. Token-bound account (ERC-6551) A token-bound account (TBA), defined by the ERC-6551 standard, is a digital wallet linked to a specific NFT. Unlike a traditional wallet, where assets are held by an address, a TBA allows the NFT itself to own other tokens or assets. In the case of Mudwater, each BAYC or MAYC is associated with a TBA containing a "totem" – a token that grants access to the packs. This means that the packs are not stored in the holder's wallet, but remain attached to the NFT, even in the event of a resale. Phygital and NFT rarity The term phygital refers to an asset combining a physical and digital dimension. Mudwater illustrates this concept: each NFT pack opened on Solana corresponds to a real physical pack, stored in a secure warehouse. Card rarity is enhanced by limited editions, such as 1/1 "cracked ice" (unique cards) or foil versions. However, holders must choose between keeping the digital version or the physical version: the redemption of a physical card results in the destruction of its NFT equivalent, and vice versa, to ensure a limited and traceable supply. Royalties and on-chain reflection Royalties are fees charged on every secondary transaction of an NFT, generally paid back to its creator. Mudwater applies a 2.5% royalty, complemented by a reflection mechanism (an additional 2.5%), where half of the fees are used to purchase APE tokens, then redistributed to holders of tokenized packs, boxes, or cases. This system incentivizes holders to keep their assets in sealed form, rather than opening them immediately, in order to benefit…