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For a decade, the billboard overlooking Columbus Circle in New York City displayed the CNN logo, until the news behemoth ended its lease in 2015. Since then, a digital billboard, owned by Moinian Group and sold by Vector Media, was erected in its place, which has housed various advertisers. But on Monday, the billboard began displaying mysterious phrases, starting with "hello, world," with no brand attached. 

It turns out, the cryptic messages come from Gemini, a cryptocurrency portfolio platform, which signed a three-year lease with Vector Media. This makes it the longest out-of-home deal for Gemini to date.

Read: Everything marketers need to know about NFTs

“For 3 Columbus Circle we were seeking a partner who embodied core values of creativity, progressive thinking and technological prowess,” said Jim MacCurtain, chief strategy officer at Vector Media, “as we thought that would be an ideal fit for a sign that is visible to millions of consumers each month throughout Columbus Circle, Central Park and the Upper West Side. Gemini is at the forefront of two of the most exciting industries out there—cryptocurrency and NFTs—and are an incredibly creative organization.”

The billboard launch coincides with the 13th anniversary of Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin whitepaper, the original proposal for the cryptocurrency. That’s why the 105 words displayed on the billboard after its “hello world” introduction are the same words that Nakamoto wrote in the Bitcoin whitepaper’s abstract.

The phrases displayed on the billboard can also be purchased in the form of an NFT, or pieces of unique, digital art that use the same blockchain technology as Bitcoin to document authenticity. The bidding for the 105 NFTs began this week and will run through Oct. 31 on the campaign’s website. Current bids are as high as $550 and all proceeds will go to charity.

“We wanted to introduce our ownership of the billboard in an attention grabbing and playful way,” said Jonathan Isaac, Gemini’s global director of brand. “With the dates aligning with the 13th anniversary of the Bitcoin whitepaper, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to honor the mysterious Satoshi in a somewhat mysterious way.  And auctioning the images as NFTs allows everyone to own a little piece of Bitcoin history, with proceeds going to good causes.”

“Outdoor advertising is increasingly digital and the flexibility that comes along with that provides such rich opportunities to connect with consumers in very customized, contextually relevant ways,” said MacCurtain. “The digitization of out of home is happening at a very rapid pace and as it continues to reward both brands and consumers, it's a very exciting time in the industry and the work by Gemini and others like them are lighting the way forward.”

Parker Herren is Ad Age’s TV reporter. He was previously a freelance journalist and podcaster covering pop culture and entertainment as well as a Pilates instructor and a professional dancer. His passions include cats, the “Scream” franchise and Halloween costumes.