From art to gaming: The biggest NFT trends of 2021

According to a caller study by Cointelegraph Research, the measurement of nonfungible tokens (NFTs) sold this twelvemonth could eclipse $18 billion. From artwork, euphony and in-game characters to videos and photographs, these minted certificates of ownership for integer assets connected blockchains are good sought aft by collectors, investors and philanthropists alike. They tin besides beryllium freely traded crossed decentralized NFT platforms specified arsenic OpenSea. Without further ado, let's look astatine the biggest trends processing successful the NFTs space.

1. Celebrity and modern NFTs

Of course, astatine the fig 1 spot this year, arsenic determination was nary shortage of NFT drops and collaborations successful the amusement industry. Highlights see Mila Kunis' Stone Cats NFTs drops, which sold retired successful astir 35 minutes and caused soaring state prices connected the Ethereum blockchain to process the transactions.

In November, rapper and songwriter Snoop Dogg auctioned disconnected a 3D collage consisting of 10 antithetic portraits of himself astatine assorted stages successful his nonrecreational career, with the winning bid amounting to 188 ETH (around $700,000). In mid-December, NBA prima Kevin Durant announced a concern betwixt his steadfast Thirty Five Ventures and Coinbase to collaborate connected NFT drops.

Then, determination was manager Quentin Tarantino announcing the auction of seven uncut scenes from Pulp Fiction arsenic NFTs built connected the privacy-oriented Secret Network. However, Tarantino whitethorn person had excessively overmuch of an appetite successful joining the hype, arsenic productions institution Miramax filed a suit against Tarantino implicit alleged copyright infringement stemming from his NFT sale. 

However, arsenic straight rated by crypto enthusiasts, the astir fashionable NFTs are those featuring “pixelated punks” created by creator Crypto Punks. The radical presently holds the top sales measurement connected OpenSea.io with 750,300 Ether (ETH) worthy of integer creation (about $3 cardinal successful today's price) traded since its inception successful 2017. Their occurrence has besides attracted partnerships and deals with top Hollywood agents.

— Tarantino NFTs (@TarantinoNFTs) December 1, 2021

2. Play-to-earn NFT games

NFTs are not lone meant to beryllium displayed. One blockchain game, Axie Infinity, involves players dueling 1 different oregon nonplayable characters and completing regular quests with in-game creatures known arsenic Axies. Each Axie is simply a unsocial NFT that tin beryllium bought and sold connected the Ethereum blockchain. The minting of Axie NFTs is known arsenic breeding successful the game, with rarer Axies having amended stats and subsequently costing acold more. According to its authoritative marketplace, the full measurement of Axies bought and sold successful the past 30 days amount to implicit 125,000 ETH, oregon astir $500 million.

In addition, players tin acquisition virtual onshore NFTs successful the game. Such integer existent property represents locations wherever monsters and bosses spawn, successful summation to hosting an abundance of resources. The most costly Axie Infinity onshore ever sold took spot past period for 550 ETH ($2.3 cardinal astatine the time).

— Axie Infinity (@AxieInfinity) November 24, 2021

Another fashionable prime is NFT fantasy shot game Sorare. Through Sorare, players tin negociate their ain shot teams via integer subordinate NFT cards. According to its CEO, Nicholas Julia, implicit fractional a cardinal players joined the level organically without selling efforts.

3. Metaverse NFTs

Developments successful the Metaverse, a integer realm comprising a 3D augmented reality, person been gaining traction ever since Facebook rebranded itself arsenic Meta backmost successful October. NFTs play a pivotal relation successful the Metaverse to warrant the uniqueness of virtual assets specified arsenic subordinate avatars. Meta's caput of Metaverse products, Vishal Shah, said successful an announcement that the caller level “will marque it easier for radical to merchantability constricted acquisition integer objects similar NFTs, show them successful their integer spaces and adjacent resell them to the adjacent idiosyncratic securely.”

Right now, determination is simply a monolithic 21-level skyscraper being built successful the Metaverse by Bloktopia to wage homage to the maximum 21 cardinal Bitcoin (BTC) that tin ever beryllium created. Notable user brands similar Adidas and Nike are besides entering the Metaverse, partnering with contributors to make NFT artwork for their namesake brands. Above all, developers astatine virtual metaverse crippled Sandbox privation to support the realm against the menace of monopoly from large tech.

Bloktopia in-game screenshot. Source: Bloktopia 

4. NFT philanthropy

There has been important maturation successful the fig of charities accepting crypto donations successful 2021. One level facilitating specified transactions, the Giving Block, saw donations surge to implicit $100 million this year, compared with $4 cardinal for each of 2020. The steadfast is partnering with NFT platforms truthful a information of auction proceeds tin spell straight into crypto non-profits, with nonstop NFT donations being a imaginable aboriginal improvement route. In the United States, investors tin deduct their charitable donations straight against their mean income, usually implicit a fewer years, resulting successful a win-win concern for all.

But, philanthropic ventures successful the NFT realm spell acold beyond. Thus far, NFT auctions person helped rise capable funds to build a schoolhouse successful Uganda and enactment frontline healthcare workers. In 2022, an up-and-coming NFT auction volition assistance rise consciousness for contemporary artists with developmental disabilities. Meanwhile, the proceeds from different volition spell to a foundation of prime by the erstwhile Italian royal family.

Crypto Giving Tuesday Recap. Source: The Giving Block 

5. NFT satellite art 

With accepted art, artists person to question astir the satellite to enactment successful exhibits and auctions to marque their enactment known — a privilege lone reserved to those with capable capital. But, with the emergence of decentralized NFTs marketplaces, anyone astir the satellite tin mint, showcase and merchantability their creation with small startup capital, thereby connecting cultures worldwide.

Two notable mentions are the Melanated NFT Gallery and Mongol NFTs. Melanated NFT Gallery features modern African and Latinx artwork specified arsenic landscapes, photographs of jazz icon Miles Davis, DJ music, guitar audio, trading cards and different music. Meanwhile, the Mongol NFTs level contains NFT images of pastoral nomadic steppes of the namesake state and its history, traditions and customs arsenic told by Mongol artists. It has surpassed 100,000 registered users and 1.5 cardinal Mongolian Tugrik ($550,000) successful sales.

NFT Arts by Mongolian Artists. Source: Mongol NFT