NFT mania cools amid Ukraine crisis as average price and sales decline from January high
- The average NFT selling price fell to below US$2,000 from a high of US$6,900 on January 2, and daily total sales were down to US$26.2 million on March 3
- Sales of some NFT collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club continue to grow, but the easing of pandemic era stimulus and geopolitical tensions are taking a toll
While anecdotal evidence that the NFT market is beginning to cool abounds, there are no bigger red flags that what’s going on with sales and prices.
The average selling price of a non-fungible token has declined to under US$2,000, compared with an all-time high of almost US$6,900 on January 2, according to industry data tracker NonFungible. The daily total sales average was about US$26.2 million on March 3, the data show. The tally was US$160.2 million on January 31. Since February 24, when Russia attacked Ukraine, the average selling price has dropped by about 30 per cent.
Non-fungible tokens – most often digital art such as cartoonish-looking apes and penguins – saw their daily average price last year go from US$128 to nearly US$4,000, according to NonFungible. OpenSea, the biggest NFT marketplace, recorded its best month ever in January.
Since then, prices have steadily retreated as concern about an easing of pandemic era stimulus and geopolitical tensions weighed on the entire crypto market. The decline has only accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine.
“What I would say is the last week or so has seen a significant decline – perhaps as much as 40 per cent – in floor prices for the most desirable NFTs,” said Aaron Brown, a crypto investor who writes for Bloomberg Opinion.
Another possible contributor to the decline is the likelihood of increased regulation. The US Securities and Exchange Commission is scrutinising creators of NFTs and the marketplaces where they trade to determine if some of the assets run afoul of the agency’s rules, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
Sales of some of the most popular brands are falling fast. NBA Top Shot’s are down 26 per cent in the past week, while Axie Infinity’s are down 15 per cent, according to data tracker DappRadar. While those flagship NFT sales are off, the decline isn’t across the board. Sales of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs are up 59 per cent in the past seven days, while CryptoPunk sales are up 118 per cent, DappRadar data show.