NFT Sales Surge to $125M as Ethereum Reclaims Market Leadership

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The non-fungible token (NFT) market has shown strong signs of recovery, with weekly sales volume climbing 8.17% to $125.1 million. This rebound comes after a dip in the previous week, signaling renewed investor confidence and increased on-chain activity across major blockchains.

At the same time, broader cryptocurrency markets remain resilient. Bitcoin (BTC) has surged toward the $107,000** mark, while Ethereum (ETH) has held steady over the past seven days. The total global crypto market capitalization now stands at **$3.29 trillion, reflecting a slight increase from last week’s $3.28 trillion despite ongoing macroeconomic volatility.

NFT Market Engagement Stays Strong

According to data from CryptoSlam, user participation in the NFT ecosystem remains robust. The number of unique NFT buyers held firm at 1,061,348, maintaining a year-over-year growth rate of 50.56%—a clear indicator of sustained long-term interest.

Meanwhile, the number of NFT sellers rose by 8.09% to 38,494, and total transactions increased by 1.82% to 1,717,339. These metrics suggest not only growing liquidity but also an expanding base of active participants across decentralized marketplaces.

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Immutable Regains Top Spot in Blockchain Rankings

Immutable (IMX) has reasserted its dominance in the NFT space, recording $33.3 million in sales—a 15.34% increase from the prior week. The gaming-focused Layer-2 platform continues to attract developers and collectors alike, driven by strong demand for play-to-earn and Web3 gaming assets.

Ethereum follows closely in second place with $25.6 million in sales**, marking a substantial **31.77% weekly growth**. Notably, Ethereum’s wash trading activity has declined by **14.24% to $1.6 million, indicating healthier market conditions and more organic trading volume.

Polygon (POL), which previously led the rankings, has dropped to third with $16.5 million in sales**, a sharp **29.42% decline**. More strikingly, wash trading on Polygon plummeted by **97.45% to just $34,545, suggesting that much of its earlier volume may have been artificially inflated.

Other Blockchains Show Mixed Performance

Buyer growth was widespread across most chains, with Polygon leading at 35.63%, followed by Bitcoin at 23.22% and Mythos Chain at 19.32%—highlighting increasing decentralization of NFT adoption beyond Ethereum-centric ecosystems.

Top NFT Collections: Gaming Leads the Charge

The Guild of Guardians Heroes collection has reclaimed the top spot with $19.3 million in sales, a 15.94% increase. As a mobile-first RPG built on Immutable, its resurgence aligns directly with IMX’s broader momentum in the Web3 gaming sector.

In contrast, Courtyard on Polygon slipped to second place with $15.4 million, down 11.43%. The drop coincides with steep declines in both buyers (–80.14%) and sellers (–91.83%), raising questions about short-term sustainability amid reduced wash trading.

Other top performers include:

These figures underscore the growing influence of gaming-related NFTs, where utility and interoperability are driving real-world usage beyond speculative trading.

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High-Value NFT Sales Highlight CryptoPunks Resilience

Despite shifts in blockchain leadership and evolving market trends, blue-chip collections continue to command premium prices. This week’s most notable sales featured multiple entries from the iconic CryptoPunks series:

These transactions reaffirm the enduring appeal of early-generation NFTs, particularly those with cultural significance and limited supply.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why did Ethereum reclaim second place in NFT sales?
A: Ethereum saw a 31.77% increase in weekly NFT sales volume, reaching $25.6 million, driven by stronger buyer engagement and declining wash trading—indicating more authentic market activity.

Q: What caused Polygon’s drop in NFT volume?
A: Polygon’s sales fell 29.42% to $16.5 million, largely due to a 97.45% collapse in wash trading. While organic buyer growth remains strong (+35.63%), speculative volume has significantly decreased.

Q: Which blockchain is best for gaming NFTs right now?
A: Immutable (IMX) leads the gaming NFT sector, hosting top-performing collections like Guild of Guardians Heroes and benefiting from low fees and high scalability tailored for game developers.

Q: Are NFTs still a good investment in 2025?
A: With improving market transparency, declining wash trading, and rising utility in gaming and identity, NFTs are shifting toward sustainable value models—making them increasingly viable for long-term investors.

Q: How are Bitcoin NFTs performing compared to Ethereum?
A: Bitcoin NFTs recorded $8.1 million in sales, up 2.04%, primarily driven by ordinal inscriptions. While still smaller than Ethereum’s ecosystem, BTC NFTs show steady growth in niche communities.

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Final Thoughts

The latest data paints a picture of a maturing NFT landscape—one where genuine user engagement is beginning to outweigh artificial volume spikes. With Ethereum regaining strength, Immutable dominating gaming, and wash trading collapsing on previously inflated chains like Polygon, the market is undergoing a healthy correction.

As utility-driven use cases gain traction—especially in gaming, identity, and digital art—the future of NFTs looks less speculative and more sustainable. For collectors, developers, and investors alike, the focus is shifting from hype to long-term value creation.

This evolution underscores the importance of monitoring not just sales figures, but also buyer behavior, blockchain health, and real-world application—key indicators that will define the next chapter of the NFT revolution.