Recently, I’ve been looking at the historical data of the NFT market and found some things really worth discussing. When it comes to the most expensive NFTs, many people’s first reaction might be a certain avatar or artwork, but in reality, there have been some particularly outrageous transactions in this field.

Let’s start with Pak’s “The Merge.” This piece sold for $91.8 million at the end of 2021, making it the most expensive NFT ever. Interestingly, it wasn’t bought by a single wealthy individual, but rather by 28,893 collectors who each purchased 312,686 units. Each unit cost $575, and together they added up to this astronomical figure. This crowdfunding-style sales model was quite innovative at the time, and it was this sense of participation that earned it such high recognition.

Beeple’s “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” ranks second, selling for $69 million. This number shocked the entire art world at the time. The starting bid was only $100, but because of Beeple’s influence in the crypto and art fields, the bidding skyrocketed. This piece is a collection of digital artworks he created daily over 5,000 days, and the buyer completed the transaction with 42,329 ETH.

Another notable NFT is “Clock,” a collaboration between Pak and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, which sold for $52.7 million. This NFT automatically updates daily, recording the days Assange has been imprisoned. It was bought by a DAO composed of over 10k supporters, with proceeds used for legal defense. The piece is not just art but also a political statement.

Beeple also created “Human One,” which sold for $29 million. It’s a 7-foot-high sculpture combining physical and digital technology, equipped with a 16K resolution display that shows different images depending on the time of day. Beeple can remotely update it, allowing the piece to continually evolve.

The CryptoPunks series holds a significant place among the most expensive NFTs. #5822以2300万美元成交，是仅有的9个外星人主题的朋克之一。#7523 was sold for $11.75 million; it’s the only alien punk wearing a medical mask. This series was distributed for free starting in 2017 and has become one of the most iconic projects in the NFT market.

TPunk #3442 was bought by Tron’s CEO Justin Sun for 10k TRX (about $10.5 million). It’s famous for its clown-like appearance. At the time, these TPunks cost only 1,000 TRX to mint, but after this big purchase, the entire series’ value skyrocketed.

CryptoPunk #4156 is an ape-type, with only 24 in existence. It sold for $10.26 million last December, up from $1.25 million ten months earlier—a remarkable increase. This punk also features a headscarf and other rare attributes, which greatly boosted its value.

Two other ape-type CryptoPunks sold for $7.7 million and $7.67 million respectively, with their rarity being a major reason for the price surge. CryptoPunk #7804 sold for $7.57 million; it’s unique as the only alien punk with a smoking pipe.

XCOPY’s “Right-click and Save As Guy” sold for $7 million. The name itself is a joke, as many people mistakenly think NFTs can be downloaded with a right-click. Dmitri Cherniak’s “Ringers #109” sold for $6.93 million, making it the most expensive on the Art Blocks platform.

Beeple’s “Crossroad” sold for $6.6 million; it’s a 10-second video created for the 2020 US presidential election. It shows different endings based on the election results, ultimately depicting a naked person lying on the street.

From these transactions, it’s clear that the most expensive NFTs usually share some common points: the artist’s fame, the uniqueness of the work, scarcity, and the cultural or political significance embedded in the piece. Artists like Pak and Beeple almost monopolize most of the top spots on the list, and the CryptoPunks series, as one of the earliest NFT projects, has maintained lasting value.

The entire NFT market has now evolved into a diversified ecosystem, not only including pure art but also hybrid media that blend real and virtual elements, and even works with political stances. Although the market is highly volatile and 95% of NFTs are nearly worthless, the existence of these most expensive NFTs proves that digital art has indeed found its way to demonstrate its value.