Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are virtual objects that have recently appeared in the art world and come from the cryptographic industry. They are increasingly common in the music and video game industries and are garnering increasing attention from collectors. These new digital artworks are being purchased for sky-high prices and their sales are growing exponentially. Artalistic, one of the leading online galleries, brings you a list of the 10 most expensive NFTs artworks ever sold. (Illustration: Beeple - Ocean Front)



The 5 most expensive NFT artworks



What are non-fungible tokens?



In a recent article, we discussed NFTs, Blockchain technology and how some analysts predict that they could eventually revolutionize the contemporary art market.

NFTs are digital objects that can be created using various digital media, including: videos, artwork, articles, images, music or even a meme. They are digital assets that exist completely in the digital universe, meaning that NFT art cannot be touched, but you can own it.

However, unlike cryptocurrencies, NFTs are not interchangeable or fungible: they cannot be exchanged for other digital assets and their value depends on their originality, their rarity and the price of cryptocurrencies.

NFTs have unique identification codes that you purchase and pay for online with cryptocurrency: Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.

To date, more than 3 billion NFT products have been sold for a total of nearly $30 billion. Some of which have sold for record breaking sums.



The 10 most expensive NFT artworks sold to date



1. Beeple - Everyday: the first five thousand days - 69 million dollars





The piece Everyday: the first five thousand days by Beeple is the world's most expensive NFT artwork. Beeple’s real name is Mike Winkelmann. This 40-year-old American used a collection of images assembled over 5,000 consecutive days to create this NFT art. Authenticated and protected by a Blockchain, this piece was auctioned for an incredible sum of more than 69 million dollars during a sale at Christie's. It was purchased by an Indian millionaire named Vignesh Sundaresan.



2. CryptoPunk 7523: 11.8 million dollars





CryptoPunk 7523 is the most expensive NFT artwork from the collection of CryptoPunks by Matt Hall and John Watkinson. This digitally-inventive duo created a dozen virtual artworks. This CryptoPunk stands out from the other Punks in the collection because it is wearing a surgical mask, a distinctive sign of the current Covid-19 era. This NFT artwork was purchased for 11.8 billion dollars by the Israeli entrepreneur Shalom Meckenzie.



3. CryptoPunk 7804: 7.56 million dollars





The CryptoPunk 7804 is the second piece in this collection by the aforementioned duo. This CryptoPunk was sold at auction for $7.56 million. It was purchased by the CEO of the famous design software company Figma, Dylan Field.



4. CryptoPunk 3100: 7.51 million dollars





This recently created CryptoPunk features a figure wearing a headband. This digital piece set record prices as one of the most expensive NFT artworks in the world; it sold for $7.51 million in March 2021.



5. Beeple – Crossroad: 6.6 million dollars





Beeple strikes again with his 10-second video clip entitled Crossroad. The video features the body a possibly deceased Donald Trump graffitied with negative messages. This hotly political, topical and reactionary piece was created for the last elections held in the United States in 2020 and sold for $ 6.6 million.



6. Beeple - Ocean Front: 6 million dollars





Beeple’s piece Ocean Front aims to speak to the climate change challenge the world is currently facing. This NFT was sold at auction on the Nifty Gateway for 6 million dollars. It was purchased by Justin Sun, founder and director of Tron Foundation. Beeple announced its sale on his Twitter handle, noting his commitment to donate the proceeds to charity to fight global warming.



7. World wide web source code: 5.43 million dollars





This Changes Everything is a reworked copy of the source code from Tim Berners-Le's website. Berners-Le invented the World Wide Web in the early 1990s. This NFT artwork sold for 5.43 million dollars.



8. CryptoPunk 7252: 5.3 million dollars





CryptoPunk 7252, a token from Hall and Watkinson's 9 alien CryptoPunks collection, also makes it onto this top 10 list.



9. XCopy - A Coin for the Free Man: 5.3 million dollars





XCopy is a rather nebulous London artist whose work is identifiable due to its somewhat chaotic, destructive aesthetic, that may remind you of the screen that pops up when your computer has a virus. XCopy is currently one of the most famous digital creators, his NFTs are being sold for millions of dollars.



10. Edward Snowden - Stay free: 5.27 million dollars





The last piece of digital art to make it onto our list of the most expensive NFT artworks in the world is the piece Stay Free created by the American computer scientist and whistleblower Edward Snowden. It is a self-portrait made from pages of a US appeals court decision that ruled that the mass surveillance program Snowden exposed had violated US law.



Sell art online with Artalistic



There you have it, Artalistic’s list of the most expensive NFT artworks in the world compiled at the beginning of 2022. Artalistic does not feature NFT artworks on its online galleries. However, feel free to browse our other carefully curated collections, featuring a wide range of media, including: painting, sculpture, photography and drawing.

Whether you are new to investing in art, an artist looking to build a portfolio, an art dealer or seasoned collector, feel free to reach out to our team of experts with any questions you might have or to get help finding the perfect piece to fit your budget and personal taste.