How Resellable Is Your NFT?

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TU proprietary research of 1,250 NFT investors reveals a gap between considering resale potential and understanding the market signals that indicate liquidity. 72% say the ability to resell an NFT is very or somewhat important when deciding whether to buy, but only 43% correctly identify floor price as the lowest current asking price rather than an immediately achievable selling price. Frequent recent sales are the strongest resale signal for 27% of investors, while 22% prioritize the number of active buyers. When comparing a higher-priced but inactive collection with a lower-priced collection showing stronger recent demand, 58% identified the more actively traded NFT as easier to resell.

NFT investors can assess resale potential through floor prices, trading activity, buyer demand, and other market signals. However, a visible price does not necessarily show how easily an NFT can be resold. To examine this gap, we surveyed 1,250 NFT investors worldwide, analyzing which signals they use to assess resale potential and how they interpret floor prices, trading activity, and buyer demand.

The research aims to answer key questions:

How important is NFT resale potential?
What do NFT investors check before buying?
What makes an NFT easy to resell?
How do investors interpret floor price?
Does trading activity affect resale confidence?
Does resale experience change buying behavior?
What signals poor resale potential?

Findings

Based on TU Research, several important patterns emerge regarding how NFT investors assess resale potential.

Nearly three-quarters of NFT investors consider resale potential important before buying. 72% described the ability to resell an NFT as very or somewhat important when deciding whether to buy. Only 12% said resale potential was not very important or not important at all.
Recent sales activity is the most important individual factor when investors evaluate resale potential. 24% identified recent sales as their primary check, followed by current floor price at 19% and trading volume at 17%.
Frequent recent sales provide the strongest confidence that an NFT can be resold. 27% selected recent transactions as the strongest resale signal, while 22% prioritized the number of active buyers and 17% placed the greatest weight on current bids.
Only 43% correctly identify what an NFT floor price directly represents. The remaining 57% associated it with an immediately achievable resale price, current buyer offers, recent transaction prices, average collection value, or were unsure how to interpret it.
Recent trading activity can outweigh a higher displayed floor price. 58% expected an NFT from a more actively traded collection to be easier to resell even when another collection had a substantially higher floor price.
Previous resale difficulty changes future buying behavior for most NFT investors. 68% said they would pay more attention to liquidity, buyer activity, or established actively traded collections after experiencing a difficult NFT resale.
A lack of recent sales is the strongest liquidity warning sign. 26% identified very few recent transactions as the factor most likely to make them reconsider a purchase, followed by very few active buyers at 22% and a large gap between listings and bids at 17%.

Risk warning: Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile, with sharp price swings and regulatory uncertainties. Research indicates that 75-90% of traders face losses. Only invest discretionary funds and consult an experienced financial advisor.

Institutional validation

Recent academic research suggests that NFT investment performance cannot be evaluated only through the prices of NFTs that successfully change hands. Unlike highly liquid financial assets, NFTs are unique tokens, and their resale can depend on market activity, available buyer demand, transaction costs, and the characteristics of individual collections.

A 2026 National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper, Non-Fungible Tokens as Investment, examines NFT investment performance using transaction and listing data from major NFT marketplaces. The researchers find that illiquidity is present even on the most active platforms and that NFT returns are highly right-skewed, with a relatively small number of successful transactions having a substantial influence on aggregate returns. The study also shows that estimates based only on NFTs that successfully trade can be affected by selection bias because assets that remain unsold are less likely to appear in transaction-based measures of performance.

The NBER research also highlights the difference between an NFT's observed market price and the price an owner may actually be able to obtain when selling. The authors document low turnover and substantial differences between sellers' listing prices and previous transaction prices. Their findings suggest that evaluating an NFT only through previous sales or displayed prices may provide an incomplete picture of its resale potential.

Recent research into NFT market microstructure provides additional evidence about how this resale process works. The 2026 study The Microstructure of NFT Markets: Evidence from 410 Million Orderbook Events analyzes more than 410 million order-book events across six major NFT collections. The research finds that collection-level bids are an important source of immediate buy-side liquidity. While median quoted spreads in the collections studied ranged from approximately 48% to 80%, effective transaction costs were considerably lower for liquid collections because many transactions could take place against collection-level bids close to the floor.

This distinction is important for NFT investors because a floor price represents the lowest current asking price from a seller, while an active bid provides evidence of a price a buyer is currently prepared to offer. The two figures can therefore provide different information about an NFT's resale conditions.

Trading activity also appears to contain useful information about NFT markets. Research published in European Financial Management, Pricing Dynamics and Herding Behaviour of NFTs, analyzed 875,389 art NFTs on Ethereum and found that market liquidity and trading volume were strong predictors of NFT prices. The researchers also identified evidence of herding behavior, indicating that the activity of other market participants can influence NFT valuations.

However, reported trading volume does not necessarily provide a complete measure of independent buyer demand. A 2025 Journal of Banking & Finance study, Wash Trading and Insider Sales in NFT Markets, examined the 500 most traded NFT collections and identified wash trading in the market. Under the researchers' detection methodology, wash trades represented 6.7% of identified sales but accounted for more than half of trading volume in the sample. The study also found that insider sales tended to occur during or shortly after periods of detected wash trading.

Transaction costs can further influence whether an NFT is likely to be resold. The study The Economics of Resale Royalties: Evidence from Non-Fungible Tokens, published in International Review of Financial Analysis, finds that higher creator royalties are associated with both lower NFT prices and a lower probability of resale. In the researchers' estimates, a one-standard-deviation increase in royalty rates was associated with a 7.04% decrease in prices and a 4.8% decrease in resale probability.

Academic evidence therefore supports an important distinction examined in this study: an NFT's displayed price and its resale potential are related, but they are not necessarily the same thing. Floor price shows the lowest current seller listing, while recent transactions, active buyers, bids, trading volume, and transaction costs can provide additional information about the market available to an owner who eventually wants to sell.

Theoretical research

The way investors assess NFT resale potential can be explained through several established concepts in finance and decision-making research.

One relevant concept is liquidity. A liquid asset can generally be bought or sold relatively quickly without requiring a substantial price concession. In NFT markets, liquidity can therefore involve both the time required to find another buyer and the difference between the price an owner expects and the price another market participant is willing to pay.

Another relevant mechanism is anchoring. Investors can give disproportionate weight to a highly visible reference value when making a judgment. In NFT markets, floor price may act as such an anchor because it is often prominently displayed by marketplaces. An investor may therefore use the current floor as a reference point when estimating future resale value even though the floor represents an asking price rather than a guaranteed transaction price.

Investors may also rely on social proof and herding. High trading volume, frequent transactions, a large community, or a popular collection can indicate that other market participants are interested in an NFT. These signals may increase confidence that buyers will remain available in the future, although reported activity does not always provide a complete measure of genuine demand.

Finally, experience-based learning may affect future NFT purchases. Investors who have previously sold an NFT quickly and near their expected price may place greater confidence in familiar indicators. Conversely, an investor who experienced a long selling period or had to reduce the price may begin paying greater attention to liquidity, buyer activity, and recent transactions before making another purchase.

Survey data

To understand how NFT investors assess resale potential before purchasing, we conducted a proprietary quantitative study examining buying priorities, floor prices, trading activity, buyer demand, previous selling experiences, and awareness of potential liquidity signals.

While academic research primarily measures NFT liquidity through marketplace and blockchain data, this study examines how retail investors themselves interpret this information. The research focuses particularly on the potential price-liquidity gap – the difference between the displayed or perceived value of an NFT and the ability to resell it at an acceptable price within an expected period.

Methodology

The study was conducted using a structured online survey based on the CAWI methodology.

Sample composition: 1,250 retail NFT investors.
Coverage: North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.
Age: 18–60 years old.
Participation criteria: respondents who currently own or have purchased at least one NFT during the past three years.
Statistical confidence: 95%.
Estimated sampling deviation: ±2.8%.

Research team

The study was conducted by our experts:

Anastasiia Chabaniuk (Author, TU Research) – research design and interpretation.
Chinmay Soni (Fact-checker) – data validation and statistical verification.
Ciaran Ryan (Editor-in-Chief) – editorial and methodological supervision.
TU Research Team (Andrey Mastykin, Oleg Tkachenko) – data collection and analysis.

How important is resale potential when investors buy NFTs?

Before examining specific liquidity indicators, the study asked respondents how important the ability to resell an NFT is when deciding whether to make a purchase.

Importance of resale potential when buying NFTs
Importance of resale potential	Share of investors
Very important	31%
Somewhat important	41%
Neither important nor unimportant	16%
Not very important	8%
Not important at all	4%

Insight: Nearly three-quarters of surveyed NFT investors (72%) described resale potential as very or somewhat important when deciding whether to buy. Another 16% were neutral, while only 12% said the ability to resell had little or no influence on their purchase decisions.

What do NFT investors check before buying?

Assessing an NFT can involve its price, rarity, trading history, collection popularity, current buyer activity, or other characteristics. Respondents were therefore asked which factor they consider most important when evaluating an NFT they may want to resell later.

Top factors before buying an NFT:

Recent sales activity – 24%;
Current floor price – 19%;
Trading volume – 17%;
Number of active buyers – 14%;
Collection popularity – 10%;
Rarity of the NFT – 7%;
Current bids/offers from buyers – 6%;
Creator/brand reputation – 3%.

Insight: Recent sales activity was the most important individual consideration for 24% of respondents. Current floor price ranked second at 19%, followed by trading volume at 17%. Although buyer-side signals such as active buyers and bids provide information about demand, only one in five respondents identified one of these as their primary check.

What makes an NFT appear easy to resell?

The information investors examine before buying is not necessarily the same information they find most persuasive. Respondents were therefore asked which single factor would give them the greatest confidence that an NFT could be resold when they wanted to sell it.

Strongest resale signal for NFT investors
Resale signal	Share of investors
Frequent recent sales	27%
Large number of active buyers	22%
Strong current bids from buyers	17%
High trading volume	14%
Stable or rising floor price	10%
Popular and established collection	7%
Rare or desirable NFT traits	3%

Insight: Frequent recent sales were the strongest resale signal, selected by 27% of respondents. Active buyers ranked second at 22%, while 17% considered current bids the strongest evidence of resale potential. Together, 66% prioritized observable trading or buyer activity over floor price, popularity, or rarity.

Do NFT investors understand what floor price represents?

A collection's floor price is one of the most visible NFT marketplace indicators, but it does not necessarily show the price a buyer is currently offering. Respondents were asked what a $1,000 floor price would most directly mean to them.

How investors interpret a $1,000 floor price:

Lowest current listing – 43%;
Likely resale price – 22%;
Recent sale price – 13%;
Current buyer offers – 9%;
Average collection value – 8%;
Not sure – 5%.

Insight: Only 43% of respondents correctly identified floor price as the lowest current asking price. Another 22% interpreted it as approximately the price at which they could resell an NFT, while 30% associated it with buyer offers, recent transaction prices, or average collection value. This suggests that the distinction between a seller's asking price and executable market value is not clear to most NFT investors.

Does recent trading activity increase confidence in resale potential?

Trading activity can provide evidence that buyers and sellers are currently participating in a collection. Respondents were presented with two hypothetical NFT collections. NFT A had a $2,000 floor price but few recent transactions, while NFT B had a $900 floor price, frequent recent sales, substantially more active buyers, and a current collection bid.

They were asked which NFT they would expect to be easier to resell.

Effect of recent trading activity on perceived resale potential
Choice	Share of investors
NFT with lower floor price but frequent recent sales	58%
NFT with higher floor price but few recent sales	17%
Both appear equally easy to resell	8%
I would need additional information	13%
I would not know which to choose	4%

Insight: 58% selected the NFT with stronger recent trading activity despite its lower floor price. By comparison, 17% prioritized the NFT with the higher displayed floor. Another 17% either considered the two equally liquid or were unable to choose, while 13% wanted additional information before making a judgment.

Does previous difficulty selling change how investors buy NFTs?

Previous experience may influence how investors assess future purchases. Respondents were presented with a scenario in which an NFT took substantially longer than expected to sell or could only be sold after reducing the asking price. They were then asked how such an experience would affect their next NFT purchase.

Behavior after a difficult NFT resale

Check sales and buyer activity more closely – 30%;
Focus more on liquidity – 23%;
Prefer actively traded collections – 15%;
Focus on price, rarity, or growth potential – 18%;
No change in buying behavior – 14%.

Insight: More than two-thirds of respondents (68%) said a difficult resale experience would make them pay greater attention to liquidity, recent buyer activity, or actively traded collections when making future purchases. However, 32% said they would continue to prioritize price, rarity, or appreciation potential or would not substantially change their buying process.

Which warning sign is most likely to make NFT investors question resale potential?

Finally, respondents were asked to identify the single warning sign most likely to make them reconsider an NFT purchase because it could be more difficult to resell later.

Strongest warning signs for NFT investors
Warning sign	Share
Very few recent sales	26%
Very few active buyers	22%
Large listing–bid gap	17%
Falling floor price	14%
Volume concentrated among few wallets	10%
Declining collection activity	7%
High fees or royalties	4%

Insight: Very few recent sales were the strongest liquidity warning sign, selected by 26% of NFT investors. A limited number of active buyers ranked second at 22%, followed by a large difference between listings and current bids at 17%. Only 10% considered concentrated wallet activity their strongest warning sign, despite research showing that reported NFT volume can be materially affected by wash trading.

Download the full PDF version of the TU research to access additional analysis, detailed survey data, and extended findings from our analytical team. The report includes complete methodology, charts, and behavioral insights referenced throughout the study.

Download PDF version

Practical implications for NFT investors

Several practical conclusions emerge from the research:

Consider resale potential separately from the purchase price. A visible NFT price can provide useful information about current listings, but it does not by itself confirm that buyers are prepared to transact at that level.
Use several liquidity signals rather than relying on one metric. Floor price, recent transactions, trading volume, active buyers, bids, and collection activity provide different information about resale conditions.
Look at recent market activity. The survey suggests that recent sales are already the most widely recognized liquidity signal among NFT investors, while academic research also identifies trading activity as an important component of NFT market liquidity.
Distinguish asking prices from buyer demand. Only 43% of surveyed investors correctly interpreted floor price as the lowest current asking price. Bids and completed transactions can provide additional information about prices buyers are actually prepared to pay.
Consider the quality of trading activity as well as its size. High reported volume may indicate an active market, but the number of participants and transaction patterns provide additional context, particularly given documented wash trading in NFT markets.
Account for transaction costs when evaluating resale potential. Marketplace fees and creator royalties can affect both the economics and probability of a future resale.

Investors interested in NFTs can also consider where these assets are available to buy and trade. Some crypto exchanges combine cryptocurrency trading with access to NFT marketplaces or NFT-related services. Here are several platforms to compare:

Best crypto exchanges that offer NFT trading
	BTCC	Coinbase	Cryptohopper	OKX	Crypto.com
Foundation year	2011	2012	2018	2017	2016
NFT
Coins Supported	399	400+	1000	600+	400+
Demo account
Min. Deposit, $	10	10		10	1
Regulation	FCIS, FinCEN, FINTRAC				Malta Financial Services Authority
TU overall score	7.6	7.84	7.76	8.48	7.8
Open an account	Go to broker Your capital is at risk.	Go to broker Your capital is at risk.	Go to broker Your capital is at risk.	Go to broker Your capital is at risk.	Go to broker Your capital is at risk.

Data sources and methodology

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Non-Fungible Tokens as Investment, 2026.
Baumgartner, T. The Microstructure of NFT Markets, 2026.
Fridgen, G., Kräussl, R., Papageorgiou, O., Tugnetti, A. Pricing Dynamics and Herding Behaviour of NFTs, European Financial Management, 2025.
Wang, S., Cheng, N., Zhang, T. Wash Trading and Insider Sales in NFT Markets, Journal of Banking & Finance, 2025.
Sun, Y., Jiang, S., Wang, S. The Economics of Resale Royalties: Evidence from Non-Fungible Tokens, International Review of Financial Analysis, 2025.
Elad, B., 2025. NFT Royalties Statistics 2026: How Creators Profit Big, CoinLaw, November 2025.
Estorick, E., Waters, K. and Diamond, C. 2021. In Search of an Aesthetics of Crypto Art, Artnome April 10, 2021.
O. Ali et al. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change (2023). A review of the key challenges of non-fungible tokens.
T. Bao et al. Herding in the non-fungible token (NFT) market.
J. Hamrick et al. An examination of the cryptocurrency pump-and-dump ecosystem.
F. Horky et al. Don’t miss out on NFTs?! A sentiment-based analysis of the early NFT market.
S. Imisiker et al. Wash trades as a stock market manipulation tool.
S. Serneels. Detecting wash trading for nonfungible tokens.
I. Sifat et al. Suspicious trading in nonfungible tokens (NFTs).
H. BenMabrouk et al. Connectedness and portfolio hedging between NFTs segments, American stocks and cryptocurrencies Nexus.
D. Chalmers et al. Beyond the bubble: Will NFTs and digital proof of ownership empower creative industry entrepreneurs?
S. Gunay et al. Frequency connectedness between FinTech, NFT and DeFi.
Traders Union. Best NFT Trading Strategies.
Traders Union. NFT tokens: what are they and how do they work?
IdSurvey. CAWI Methodology – Computer Assisted Web Interview.

Previous volumes in this series

Conclusion

The critical factor that makes an NFT easy to resell is not its visible floor price or rarity, but the evidence of consistent and genuine buyer activity—specifically, frequent recent sales and a high number of active participants. As the research shows, 58% of NFT investors correctly identified an actively traded, lower-priced NFT as easier to resell compared to a pricier but stagnant collection. Without liquidity, even the most prestigious or expensive NFTs can become difficult to cash out, regardless of their listed value. Ultimately, the decisive edge for resale lies in market vibrancy and tradeability, not just in surface-level statistics. NFT investors who prioritize trading activity and authentic buyer demand over headline prices are far better positioned to navigate this rapidly evolving market.

FAQs

What factors can negatively impact the resale potential of an NFT?

Factors such as a lack of recent sales, very few active buyers, a large gap between listing prices and current bids, falling floor prices, concentrated trading among a few wallets, declining collection activity, and high transaction costs or royalties can all decrease the likelihood of easily reselling an NFT.

How do transaction costs and royalties affect NFT resale probability?

Higher creator royalties and transaction costs are associated with both lower NFT prices and a reduced probability of resale. Increased royalties make it less economically attractive for buyers, which can lower overall demand and liquidity for reselling NFTs.

Why is recent trading activity considered a stronger indicator of NFT resale potential than a high floor price?

Recent trading activity signals current market demand and liquidity, showing that buyers are actively purchasing NFTs in a collection. A high floor price only reflects the lowest seller’s asking price, which may not be met if there is little active demand or trading.

What role does investor experience with past NFT resales play in shaping future buying behavior?

Investors who have experienced difficulty reselling an NFT are more likely to prioritize liquidity, buyer activity, and collection trading history in future purchases. This learning process leads them to focus more on signals that indicate a higher probability of successful resale.

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Team that worked on the article

Anastasiia has 17 years of experience in finance and content marketing. She believes that the support of information and expert opinion is very important for the success of investors and new traders.

Learn about our editorial policies

Ciaran Ryan is a veteran financial journalist based in South Africa, where he covers cryptocurrency, mining, stock markets, and governance for Moneyweb. He also hosts the weekly Moneyweb Crypto Podcast.

Chinmay Soni is a financial analyst with more than 5 years of experience in working with stocks, Forex, derivatives, and other assets. As a founder of a boutique research firm and an active researcher, he covers various industries and fields, providing insights backed by statistical data.

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