In recent years Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have become very popular due to the digital evolution. These new assets featuring collectible digital assets and crypto art, attract both artists and collectors. Currently, this industry stands at multi-billion dollars and it has completely changed the way we think about digital art. As collectors purchase art pieces for millions, the NFT market is growing like never before. Here is the list of the most expensive NFTs ever sold.
1. The Merge – Most Expensive NFT
The Merge is the most expensive NFT ever sold. Many buyers have acquired this unique NFT. Pak, a digital artist whose identity remains a secret, created The Merge. In December 2021, 29,983 people bought it for $91.8 million via Nifty Gateway.
Many consider ‘The Merge’ unique because it isn’t a single piece but a digital artwork that buyers could purchase in masses. For this reason, many argue that ‘The Merge’ is not a single artwork and should not be labeled as one NFT.
People also say that Pak is not a solo artist but works with a whole team. Despite all these accusations, The Merge holds the crown for Most expensive NFTs ever sold.
2. Everydays: The First 5000 Days
Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple, created Everydays: The First 5000 Days. He created this piece by compiling 5,000 digital images he designed daily from May 1, 2007, to January 7, 2021.
Beeple worked on this masterpiece continuously for 13 years. It shows his artistic progress and evolution during all these years. Beeple poured his passion into this artwork, reflecting his dedication to digital art.
In March 2021, Christie’s auctioned Everydays: The First 5000 Days and sold it for $69.3 million. Metakovan, the founder of the crypto fund Metapurse, bought the piece. This sale made NFTs more popular and showed their value.
3. Clock
Few years ago, the artist Pak created another NFT called Clock. It is one of his top selling art pieces after the Merge. This NFT is a real-time clock displaying the number of days Julian Assange has been in detention since April 2019. It was designed to raise awareness about the case and funds for Assange’s legal defense.
A group of over 10,000 supporters purchased this high-value digital art for $52 million. This purchase placed the clock among the most expensive NFTs. The auction’s proceeds went to the Netherlands Foundation, which supports Assange’s defense and helps fight for his freedom.
4. Human One
During the summer of 2021, Beeple created Human One, another amazing piece that made it to the Top NFT Sales. He combined a digital NFT with a physical sculpture in a glass case, creating a unique hybrid artwork.
This artwork contains an astronaut endlessly walking through an unknown world. Beeple still has remote access to it which allows him to modify the visuals. He has mentioned that he will continue to upgrade this piece so it never loses its artistic value and keeps evolving with time.
A Christie’s auction in November 2021 sold Human One for $28 million.This piece was purchased by well-known Web3 personality Ryan Zurrer. The purchase placed Human one among the top 10 most expensive NFTs ever sold. Beeple’s combination of digital and physical art demonstrates how NFTs can be transformed into physical art by adding few material elements.
5. CryptoPunk #5822
CryptoPunks is one of the earliest and most iconic NFT collections and it consists of 10,000 NFTs. Since the collection contains only nine alien CryptoPunks, people consider them the most valuable.
CryptoPunk #5822 is basically an image of an alien CryptoPunk who is wearing a blue bandana. The fact that it is one of the nine aliens with a single trait makes it expensive in the crypto world.
CryptoPunk #5822 became one of the most expensive NFTs when Deepak Thapliyal, CEO of Chain, bought it for $23.7 million (8,000 ETH) in February 2022.
This sale reinforced CryptoPunks’ status as leading NFTs, proving that digital collectibles can compete with traditional art in value. This key event also highlighted the growing acceptance of NFTs as a valid and valuable art form in the digital age.
6. CryptoPunk #7523
Larva Labs created the CryptoPunks collection in 2017, which includes 10,000 unique pixel-art characters. CryptoPunk #7523 is one of the aliens from this collection.
Since this punk is the only alien punk with a medical mask, its significance increased, especially after the pandemic. This trait also contributed to its rise as one of the most expensive NFTs.
Sotheby’s held an auction for CryptoPunk #7523 in June 2021 and sold it for $11.75 million. Shalom Meckenzie, an Israeli entrepreneur, purchased it because he viewed NFTs as a revolutionary form of art and ownership. By purchasing CryptoPunk #7523, Shalom further secured its status as a historic digital collectible.
7. TPunk #3442
TPunk #3442 is one of the most expensive NFTs in the TPunks collection, a Tron-based version of the popular CryptoPunks series.
The resemblance of TPunk #3442 to the Joker character sets it apart and contributes to its appeal.The well-known pop culture reference and its similarity to the famous villain made it more valuable and increased its price.
Justin Sun, the founder of Tron and a prominent figure in cryptocurrency, purchased TPunk #3442 for $10.5 million. Rather than keeping it, he donated TPunk #3442 to the APENFT fund, which supports the NFT ecosystem. This association with popular characters and a well-known figure makes this NFT extremely valuable among other NFT Market Trends.
8. CryptoPunk #4156
CryptoPunks includes only 24 apes. Among these rare apes, CryptoPunk #4156 stands out. In addition to its exclusive category, CryptoPunk #4156 has a blue bandana, an attribute that further adds to its uniqueness and desirability. Possessing just one trait rather than two or three also makes punks more valuable and this ape is one of those punks with a single trait.
The anonymous collector Punk 4156 originally owned CryptoPunk #4156, buying it for 650 ETH ($1.25M) on Feb, 18. However, he later sold it for 2,500 ETH ($10.26M) due to disagreements with Larva Labs over intellectual property rights and CryptoPunk owner limitations.
This started an argument in the NFT community about creator control and power dynamics. Despite these debates, CryptoPunk #4156 became one of the ten most expensive NFTs, following its million-dollar sale.
9. CryptoPunk #5577
Matt Hall and John Watkinson, Larva Labs’ directors, created CryptoPunk #5577. It belongs to the Ape Punks category which is quite rare and highly desired after the ultra-rare Alien Punks. With only 1% of Punks featuring a cowboy hat and just 2% having a single attribute, CryptoPunk #5577 stands out as a rare piece.
This punk was sold for $7.7 million in February 2022. Robert Leshner, founder of Compound Finance, likely bought it. This purchase showed that high-profile figures continue to invest in digital collectibles because they consider them financial assets.
Although he never openly confirmed the purchase but tweeted “Yeehaw,” around the time of the sale. Many believe Leshner confirmed the purchase of CryptoPunk #5577 through this tweet.
10. CryptoPunk #3100
CryptoPunk #3100 is another alien punk from CryptoPunk collection and being a rare find in the collection they are highly desirable among collectors. Additionally, CryptoPunk #3100 features a rare headband, making it one of the few Alien Punks with an accessory, further adding to its uniqueness.
A seller auctioned off this NFT for $7.67 million in March 2021. This sale placed it among the most expensive NFTs, highlighting the collection’s status as one of the most valuable NFT projects in history.
Like many expensive NFT purchases, the buyer’s identity remains a secret. However, the sale revealed the growing demand for extremely rare digital collectibles and confirmed that collectors are willing to pay high prices for rare NFTs.
Final Thoughts
These record-breaking NFT prices highlight the high value of digital collectibles in today’s world. The rising cost of digital art proves that people now see online ownership in a new way. As more people accept digital art, experts believe rare NFTs will sell for even more.
Right now, opinions on NFTs are divided. Some think NFTs are risky, but others believe they can change the art world. But one thing is clear: those who buy NFTs see them as real and valuable assets. Blockchain also creates new opportunities for digital artists and collectors and we believe NFTs have the power to reshape art and digital ownership.
For now, all we can say is the NFT world will get more complex, but it will also bring new chances. To stay ahead, you should follow NFT trends and grab new opportunities.
