NFT sales in 2024 reach $8.7B, surpassing 2023 by $230M
2024 still ranks as the third-highest year in terms of revenue
Despite skepticism from many analysts about the future of the NFT market, 2024 has demonstrated that the industry is far from obsolete.
According to CryptoSlam data, with less than a week remaining in 2024, NFT sales since the start of the year have exceeded last year’s figures by $230 million, reaching $8.7 billion.
This is significantly lower than the record-breaking sales of $23.7 billion in 2022 and $15.7 billion in 2021. However, 2024 still ranks as the third-highest year in terms of revenue.
This year saw fewer transactions compared to 2023–70.9 million versus 91.6 million—but surpassed it in the number of unique buyers and sellers, with 7.5 million and 4 million, respectively. These are the highest figures recorded since 2017, with the closest being 3.8 million sellers in 2023 and 5.4 million buyers in 2022.
Mixed results in December
The final month of the year showed mixed outcomes. While global sales volumes rose 19% to $912 million, the number of unique buyers and sellers fell by nearly 28%, reflecting a more selective approach to the market.
Additionally, transactions dropped by 59% compared to the previous month, suggesting that the sector's growth might have been driven by fewer but higher-value digital art items.
Ethereum remains the top blockchain for NFT sales, generating about $496 million in the past 30 days. Bitcoin and Solana ranked second and third, with sales of over $191 million and $107 million, respectively, during the same period.
Meanwhile, CryptoSlam data shows that the number of Bitcoin NFT buyers surged by more than 80% last month, while Solana's NFT buyer count fell by at least 37%.
Immutable and Mythos rounded out the top five blockchains by monthly NFT sales volume. Immutable registered $35 million in sales, increasing its figures by 67% in the last month, while Mythos lost 37% and closes the year at $25.4 million.
Amid mixed dynamics in the cryptocurrency market, NFT sales continued to grow, with the Pudgy Penguins collection, which dominated earlier this month, expanding beyond digital art.
