NFT market cap slides back to 2021 pre-hype levels, near $1.5B

3 hours ago

The planetary non-fungible token (NFT) assemblage fell beneath $1.5 cardinal successful full marketplace capitalization, returning to levels past seen earlier the sector’s accelerated enlargement successful 2021. 

The retracement unfolded alongside a broader crypto marketplace downturn implicit the past 2 weeks, CoinGecko information shows. On Jan. 23, full crypto marketplace capitalization stood astatine astir $3.1 trillion, earlier falling to $2.2 trillion connected Friday.

Major assets similar Bitcoin (BTC) slid from astir $89,000 to astir $65,000, portion Ether (ETH) fell from $3,000 to adjacent $1,800 passim the aforesaid clip frame. Bitcoin and Ethereum are the apical 2 networks for NFTs successful presumption of 30-day trading volume, according NFT information aggregator CryptoSlam.

The NFT marketplace headdress driblet follows respective high-profile closures and exits, highlighting the sector’s continued contraction. 

Total NFT marketplace headdress chart. Source: CoinGecko

Rising proviso collides with falling demand

The marketplace reset has been compounded by a increasing imbalance betwixt NFT proviso and purchaser demand. 

As reported by Cointelegraph connected Dec. 31, full NFT proviso continued to expand adjacent arsenic income and prices declined, pushing the assemblage into a high-volume, low-price structure. 

CryptoSlam information showed that the fig of NFTs successful circulation roseate to astir 1.3 cardinal successful 2025, up by 25% compared to 2024. Total NFT income fell 37% year-over-year to $5.6 billion, portion mean merchantability prices slipped beneath $100. 

The divergence suggests that portion minting became cheaper and barriers to issuance fell, purchaser information and spending failed to support up. 

Related: US prosecutors driblet OpenSea NFT fraud lawsuit aft appeals tribunal reversal

Corporate exits and level closures adhd pressure

The driblet follows a bid of high-profile retreats that reflector the market's pullback. On Jan. 7, footwear elephantine Nike quietly offloaded RTFKT, the integer collectibles workplace it acquired astatine the tallness of the NFT boom.

The reported merchantability followed the company’s determination to shut down operations amid an capitalist lawsuit.

In addition, marketplace shutdowns person accelerated. Nifty Gateway, 1 of the earliest NFT platforms, said it volition adjacent connected Feb. 23 and has entered withdrawal-only mode. The Gemini-owned level cited a prolonged marketplace downturn arsenic it winds down.

On Jan. 28, societal NFT level Rodeo announced it would cease operations aft failing to standard sustainably. Rodeo said it would modulation to read-only mode earlier shutting down wholly successful March.

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