In recent years, jaw-dropping sums have been paid for NFTs, with online pieces, rare collectibles, and on-chain items trading hands for multimillion-dollar figures.
Curious about which NFTs reached the loftiest valuations and what drove those numbers? Below is a deep dive into the eight most sizeable transactions ever recorded.
Wondering where to buy NFTs? Browse our curated roundup of leading marketplaces in the NFT marketplace ecosystem.
Most expensive NFTs ever sold (ranked)
1. Pak’s The Merge — $91.8M sale
Pak, a boundary-pushing figure in crypto art known for anonymity and innovation, launched The Merge and shattered previous records.
Rather than a single-owner token, The Merge functioned as a divisible work: 28,983 buyers accumulated more than 300,000 units—termed “mass”—with an aggregate of $91.8 million paid.
Its pricing power flowed from Pak’s stature and a dynamic mechanism: the more mass held, the greater one’s portion grew. That game-like structure nudged participants to acquire additional units, reshaping how ownership could be collective while still operating as an investment-grade digital collectible.
2. Everydays: The First 5000 Days — $69M at auction
Beeple compiled 13-plus years of daily creations into a single NFT, Everydays: The First 5000 Days, and it closed at $69 million via Christie’s in March 2021, pushing crypto art squarely into blue-chip auction territory.
The piece’s scale and storyline underpin its appeal: 5,000 images chronicle cultural shifts, tech trends, and social commentary—an expansive time-capsule of the internet era.
Buyer MetaKovan called it a landmark for the future of digital art, arguing it reframes how art is valued online and broadens who can participate in ownership.
3. Clock — $52.7M
Created by Pak in collaboration with Julian Assange, Clock departs from conventional imagery to deliver a pointed statement: an ever-ticking counter showing the days Assange has been imprisoned.
Proceeds supported Assange’s legal fight. A community-funded group, AssangeDAO, assembled the winning offer. At $52.7 million, the sale demonstrated how NFTs can power activism and fundraising, not only collecting.
Beyond a purchase, the work became a symbol tied to information freedom and resistance to censorship, making it one of the most purpose-driven NFT deals to date.
4. Human One — $28.9M
Conceived by Pak and Julian Assange, this NFT strays from typical digital art forms; Clock delivers commentary through a minimalist countdown, tallying days the WikiLeaks founder has remained behind bars.
Funds were directed to a legal defense war chest; AssangeDAO coordinated the purchase. With a $52.7 million hammer price, Clock highlighted how NFTs can mobilize social causes and capital, not just aesthetics.
As more than a collectible, it stood for open-information ideals and pushback against state suppression, cementing its place among the most mission-focused sales in NFT history.
5. CryptoPunk #5822 — $23M benchmark
CryptoPunks from Larva Labs rank among the most recognized early NFT series, and CryptoPunk #5822 set a high-water mark by changing hands for roughly $23.7 million.
What drove such a premium?
Scarcity.
This Punk belongs to the prized “Alien” subset—only nine of the 10,000 supply share that trait. Buyer Deepak Thapliyal, Chain’s CEO, viewed the acquisition as a signal of status within Web3 culture.
Owning a CryptoPunk functions like a digital flex—akin to an ultra-luxury watch in the physical world—signaling early adoption and clout.
6. CryptoPunk #7523 — $12M
Another Alien, CryptoPunk #7523, realized a $11.75 million result at Sotheby’s. Its distinctive mask trait evokes the pandemic era, making it a signpost of a specific moment.
Buyer Shalom Meckenzie framed it as a cultural relic—rare and iconic—bolstering its desirability among collectors hunting historically resonant pieces.
7. TPunk #3442 — $10.5M
TPunks, a Tron-based counterpart to Cryptopunks, saw a headline sale when #3442 fetched $10.5 million. The purchaser, Justin Sun, later donated it, turning the move into a philanthropic gesture rather than a pure profit play.
This event underscored that NFT appeal includes influence and brand presence as much as traits, and it reinforced that demand exists across multiple chains, not solely Ethereum.
8. CryptoPunk #4156 — $10M
Closing this roundup, CryptoPunk #4156 sold for $10.26 million. The simian-like look presaged rising enthusiasm for ape-themed collections such as Bored Ape Yacht Club.
The prior holder, known as Punk4156, became an influential voice in NFTs and ultimately exited the asset amid disagreements with Larva Labs over licensing. The episode spotlighted ongoing debates around intellectual property in Web3 art.
Why some NFTs can be pricey
Limited supply and rarity
As with museum-grade art, scarcity amplifies desirability. Constrained edition sizes stoke competition among collectors, pushing valuations higher.
There are only 10,000 CryptoPunks, and just nine qualify as “Alien,” a key reason CryptoPunk #5822 commanded about $23.7 million.
Unlike fiat money, scarcity is enforced at the protocol layer, preventing duplication or inflation of those tokens.
Ownership and provenance
Because blockchains track changes immutably, buyers receive verifiable proof of ownership tied back to the original minter, ensuring authenticity.
Past ownership can add a premium; pieces previously held by notable collectors often trade at higher levels.
Cultural and historical weight
Some NFTs crystallize zeitgeist moments, linking to movements, creators, or events and thereby becoming digital-era artifacts. Similar to how a Banksy activist piece accrues meaning, culturally loaded NFTs garner extra significance.
Speculation and investment appeal
Many participants treat NFTs as a bet on future demand, with early entrants and traders driving prices while aiming for appreciation.
Utility and exclusivity
Certain tokens unlock perks—priority access, membership benefits, or yield-sharing—which enhances buyer motivation.
Items with practical use—think gaming assets like Axie Infinity or Otherside, or virtual land in Decentraland and Sandbox—can retain value over longer horizons.
Celebrity and influencer impact
High-profile endorsements can catalyze interest. When stars or tastemakers back a collection, it often boosts credibility and attention.
That halo effect mirrors sneaker culture, where athlete partnerships elevate brands such as Nike.
Final thoughts on NFTs
These assets don’t fetch high figures merely for being images; value arises from limited supply, on-chain proof, cultural narratives, and speculative dynamics. Where prices go next will depend on tech progress, shifting market cycles, and how seamlessly NFTs plug into real-world and metaverse use cases.
