Over the past year, the popularity of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, has skyrocketed. Artists and developers are now making millions by creating these digital artworks, but some are certainly more expensive than others. So, what are the biggest NFT projects out there right now?
1. CryptoPunks
CryptoPunks are a set of 10,000 NFT avatars inspired by Britain's 70s punk scene. These avatars come in a variety of different styles, and there are even some rarer zombie and alien CryptoPunks available.
While these artworks are certainly funky and unique, the real kicker isn't their appearance but their value. CryptoPunks were initially released onto the NFT market in June of 2017 and really began as nothing more than an experiment by software developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson. It's safe to say that neither man expected CryptoPunks to become what they are today.
Back in 2017, these NFTs were worth between $1 and $34 each. So, you could essentially buy one for less than you'd pay for a Starbucks latte. However, these NFTs are now worth more money than most people will earn in a lifetime.
In June of this year, four years after CryptoPunks were initially released, one of the avatars, specifically CryptoPunk #7523, was sold for $11.7 million at a Sotheby's auction. Another was sold for $7.57 million to the CEO of Figma Inc., a company that produced the widely used Figma graphics web tool.
Today, CryptoPunks are still highly valuable. There are currently a couple for sale on OpenSea, but you'll need to be extremely financially comfortable to make an offer, with the average price being around $3 million at the moment.
2. Beeple
This particular NFT artist managed to make a world record in 2021, selling one NFT for $69 million at a Christie's auction. Yes, you read that right. This particular NFT was called 'Everydays – The First 5000 Days', and featured a huge collage of 5000 works from Mike Winkelmann, the artist behind Beeple, created over a time span of 13 years.
To put this into perspective, the infamous paintings of Vincent Van Gogh have sold at auction for around $80 million in the past (just $11 million more than Beeple's NFT), and that's Van Gogh, one of the biggest names in art history.
It didn't stop there for Beeple. Winkelmann has continued to sell stunning NFTs, featuring all kinds of incredible creatures and awe-inspiring landscapes. You can find Beeple NFTs of astronauts staring over alien worlds, or even a gigantic bull carrying an equally huge Bitcoin across an arid desert.
You can buy these other NFT artworks created by Winkelmann or Beeple, but it'll cost you. Some are going for $90,000, some for $5 million. Either way, you'll be spending big if you want an official Beeple NFT.
3. Bored Ape Yacht Club
Bored Ape Yacht Club, or BAYC, features a variety of different NFT artworks but is mostly known for its collection of 10,000 animated ape avatars. These apes are all unique in their appearance, with some having more accessories than others. For example, some wear crowns, some are multicolored, and some shoot lasers from their eyes. You can even find an ape with a set of gold teeth, wearing a cowboy hat and an 18th century-style jacket.
These apes aren't just known for their uniqueness, though. They happen to be among the most expensive NFT avatars out there. Though these NFTs were only released five months ago by their developers, Yuga Labs, their price has skyrocketed during that short time.
For example, Ape #1734 is currently available for around $2.5 million, and Ape #350 is going for around $3.5 million. As with most NFT avatars, the price of these apes depends on their uniqueness and features. A gold ape usually costs a pretty penny, as well as apes with lots of accessories.
However, this isn't always the case. BAYC is currently selling a basic ape avatar, with no accessories or funky skin, for $2.5 million (if you're interested, you can check it out on OpenSea under Ape #9607). In any case, buying a Bored Ape NFT avatar certainly won't come cheap.
4. World of Women
We love an NFT project centered around women! This particular NFT project features 10,000 unique female avatars and was created by artist Yam Karkai, along with her collaborator Raphael Malavieille. They were released for sale in July of this year and sold out overnight.
These NFTs, as is the case with much of Karkai's work, were created to empower women and incorporate more inclusivity and diversity into the NFT industry. And, people seem to be loving this idea, with World of Women NFTs now being highly desired.
Some of these NFTs are a little more modest in their price, with a number of them being currently worth around five thousand dollars. However, the more valuable avatars are being priced at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Take Woman #2933, for example. This piece is currently going for around $400,000. Woman #6025 is going for almost double that. It all depends on the rarity and uniqueness of the NFT in this case.
So, you could definitely get your hands on a more affordable World of Women NFT today. But be prepared to spend big, big bucks if you want a rarer avatar.
5. Ringers
One of these NFTs was sold just a few months ago for $5.8 million on OpenSea to a cryptocurrency investment firm named Three Arrows Capital. Again, we see another NFT sell for an unbelievable price. But, what's so desirable about the Ringers NFTs?
These NFTs feature abstract yet simple diagrams created by Dmitri Cherniak, a Canadian artist living in New York. These NFTs almost always involve a set of kind of black, white, red, or yellow circles, connected by a continuous line. And, as with most NFTs, increased uniqueness gives way to increased value.
For example, pieces with concentric circles, or a bullseye tend to sell for more, as well as those with more intricate designs. But there are simpler diagrams that are still going for incredibly high prices on OpenSea. If you check the properties of any Ringers NFT, chances are that the more properties a piece has, the more it'll be worth.
Take Ringers #109, for example, which has a total of nine properties. This is currently priced at almost $8 million, while other Ringers NFTs can go for a little cheaper. But you'll still be in the hundreds-of-thousands range, regardless. Safe to say, these are some of the priciest NFTs on the market right now.
NFT Art Is More Desirable Than Regular Art
With the value of tens of thousands of NFTs getting higher and higher, there's no doubt that we may be seeing pieces go for above $100 million in the near future (as long as the market doesn't crash). It's exciting to think about the different ways in which NFTs can be used in multiple industries today, and how they can create another hugely profitable market opening for budding artists.