ApeChain is fueled by the creative energy of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) community

Made by Apes is a pioneering initiative by Yuga Labs that formalizes this creativity with an onchain licensing program.

The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) community is renowned for its creative energy, which has blossomed from a cultural phenomenon into a launchpad for brand-building, entrepreneurship, and IP-driven innovation.

Made by Apes, an initiative by Yuga Labs, is forging a pioneering path in this domain. Launched in mid-2023 and now operating on the ApeChain network, Made by Apes provides a system for certifying projects that are inspired by BAYC and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) NFTs.

This Ultimate Guide delves into the essence of Made by Apes, its significance in the broader BAYC ecosystem, its mechanics, and showcases some notable projects emerging across diverse industries.

What Is Made by Apes?

Made by Apes (MBA) is an on-chain licensing program introduced by Yuga Labs in mid-2023 to verify and amplify products and services created by Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) NFT holders. It offers a way for entrepreneurs to register their ventures using Bored Ape IP, receive a verifiable license number, and display the official “Made by Apes” logo on products or marketing collateral.

In 2024, the program was rebuilt as MBA 2.0 on ApeChain, bringing a smoother license request flow, deeper identity integration via Yuga ID, and more flexible license terms for how holders can use their BAYC, MAYC, and Bored Ape Kennel Club (BAKC) NFTs. With MBA 2.0, Yuga made it easier to manage multiple apes in one project and expanded the program’s functionality with a more robust backend.

All verified licensees are listed in The Bodega, an online directory showcasing officially recognized Ape-centric businesses, whether physical or digital.

Why It Matters

Since BAYC launched in April 2021, Yuga Labs has granted broad commercial rights to NFT owners, allowing them to use their ape’s imagery for personal and commercial projects. This has unleashed a wave of Ape-themed ventures, such as burger restaurants, bottled water brands, and apparel lines, taking the BAYC brand into mainstream culture.

Yuga Labs noticed this grassroots creativity and wanted to support and verify it. Made by Apes was born to empower these “ape-preneurs.” It makes it easier to know which NFT rights a product is linked to and to discover cool ape-made stuff. As Yuga put it, holders have “put out some of the most entertaining, delicious, bizarre, and imaginative projects and products out there” and the goal is to amplify that energy.

Importantly, Made by Apes also protects the BAYC ecosystem’s integrity. With official licensing, consumers can identify a legit ape creation and avoid fake NFT claims. In other words, if you see the MBA logo on a can of “Ape Water” or a jar of “Bored Spice,” you know the people behind it truly own a BAYC/MAYC NFT (or are authorized by someone who does). This authenticity is recorded on the blockchain (via ApeChain), providing a public, tamper-proof record of the project’s legitimacy.

It’s a first-of-its-kind system that marries NFT IP rights with on-chain verification, setting a precedent for how decentralized brands can grow. Most importantly, it provides a verifiable identity layer on ApeChain that allows creators, investors, and consumers to check whether a product truly originates from the BAYC/MAYC ecosystem.

How It Works

Made by Apes is now fully integrated with ApeChain, which serves as the onchain backbone for the licensing system. Every MBA license is recorded on ApeChain, making ownership and IP usage publicly verifiable. With the launch of MBA 2.0, Yuga also introduced Yuga ID, enabling more advanced identity management across wallets and projects. This integration lays the groundwork for broader ecosystem utility: MBA licensees may soon be able to tap into ApeCoin-based commerce, token-gated experiences, and interoperable tools across ApeChain-native apps. By anchoring licensing, identity, and brand building on-chain, ApeChain turns Made by Apes into a platform for scalable, authenticated creativity.

Licensing Types

Made by Apes operates on a two-tier licensing framework that is both simple and flexible. If you own a BAYC or MAYC NFT, you can go to the Made by Apes website and request a license for your project by connecting your crypto wallet to prove you hold the NFT. The application will ask for details about your project or business (what you’re building, which Ape/MAYC it features, etc.). Yuga Labs then reviews the request, ensuring, for example, that you indeed own the NFT or have permission from the owner, and if all checks out, they issue you a unique license number onchain.

There are two types of licenses in the MBA system:

Primary License

This is the main license tied to a specific Bored Ape or Mutant Ape NFT. It’s