> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://denze.gitbook.io/pixel-vault/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://denze.gitbook.io/pixel-vault/learn/ecosystem/iu/mintpass.md).

# MintPass

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**What is a MintPass?**

MintPasses are essentially a reservation system for NFTs. You can think of it as unopened trading card packs - you know there’s a trading card (or in our case, an NFT) inside, but you don’t know what it is until you open it.

Prior to MintPasses, new launches of NFT projects were first-come, first-serve. This was problematic at the time because:

* to make transactions on a blockchain like Ethereum, users pay transaction fees (i.e. gas fees)
* while there’s a limit to the number of transactions which can be processed in each block, users can choose to pay extra for their transaction to be prioritised
* first-come, first-serve NFT launches created a dynamic where users would choose to pay high amounts of fees in a rush to mint their NFT before the supply ran out, also known as a *gas war*

Gas wars favour those with the most capital, so Pixel Vault [conceptualised](https://twitter.com/pixelvault_/status/1412479227484573701?s=20\&t=itBHmINnIMJBeVSRdHts1Q) the MintPass in July 2021 to enable more fair & equitable NFT drops. The concept was quick to be adopted by other teams and is now extremely common.
{% endhint %}

Pixel Vault MintPasses include:

* [MintPass #1](/pixel-vault/learn/ecosystem/iu/mintpass/1.md), the ticket to getting [Inhabitants Identities](/pixel-vault/learn/ecosystem/iu/identities.md)
* [MintPass #2](/pixel-vault/learn/ecosystem/iu/mintpass/2.md), the ticket to getting [DOTs](/pixel-vault/learn/ecosystem/iu/dots.md)

There were provided for free or at a low cost to existing holders of PV assets, as a reward for their support.

![](https://487100486-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FBsheNriFxgcmrumfBIVx%2Fuploads%2FLOCjl9TNJH8xY3qjFCga%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=17d8c57d-22e3-4b1a-9c44-d4fbfbbdbf75)