In 2021, a digital collage NFT sold for $69 million, and the art world blinked. That was only the beginning. Since the introduction of blockchain technology, NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have been at the forefront of technological advancement.
NFTs are traceable digital tokens that are stored securely on a blockchain. Unlike cryptocurrency, NFTs are unique digital tokens that have certification and individuality. The blockchain acts as a record that serves as proof of ownership, as well as depicting the creator. The token is hyperlinked to digital artwork, serves as ownership of the artwork, and is collectible.
How do I purchase an NFT?
When looking to buy an NFT, the first step is to select the payment method that you would like to use (Ethereum, Solana, etc) and set up a crypto wallet that is compatible (i.e., a web wallet). Make sure to buy the payment tokens, which is ETH for Ethereum or SOL for Solana, from a trusted exchange and send them to the wallet to cover the payment and network fees (“gas”). Connect a wallet to a reliable marketplace that has the NFT you would like and make sure to verify the smart-contract address to avoid forgeries; check the creator, supply, and royalties. When you are set, press Buy/Place Bid and confirm the transaction in the wallet. You will see the NFT under the wallet or the marketplace profile once the transaction is confirmed on the chain. After the purchase, consider moving to a hardware wallet, and let offline backups of the seed phrase rest; the signer does not understand the transaction—security is part of the purchase.
Now that we have that cleared up we can get onto the list, one thing to note is that a few NFTs on this list are not merely two-dimensional images: some are hybrid digital-physical pieces, some update images automatically via smart contracts, and one was designed so that thousands of buyers individually acquire fragments of an intricate puzzle that unite to form one cohesive piece.
1. The Merge by Pak for $91.8 million
This unique NFT had 28,983 collectors purchase 312,686 units of “mass” per wallet, which automatically merged into a single, larger NFT within 48 hours, raising $91,806,519. The more mass you held, the larger your merged token became. It is widely regarded as the most expensive NFT ever, even though the artwork was purchased in a collab. The creator Pak is a digital artist, cryptocurrency investor, and programmer. What drove the value was the gamified, merge-to-grow mechanic and the live leaderboards, which turned minting into a social event.
2. Everydays: The First 5000 Days by Beeple for $69.3 million
Beeple’s mosaic of 5,000 daily images became the first purely digital NFT sold by a major auction house and a cultural watershed. Final price: $69,346,250. At the moment, it is not publicly listed; its last and only sale was $69.3 million on March 11, 2021, at Christie’s, an art and luxury auction house.
3. Clock by Pak and Julian Assange for $52.7 million
This dynamic, one-of-one NFT displays the number of days Assange—WikiLeaks’ founder—spent in prison. In February 2022, AssangeDAO acquired it for 16,593 ETH (≈$52.7M) to fund his legal defense. The work isn’t listed today; that auction price is still the sole public benchmark.
4. HUMAN ONE by Beeple for $28.9 million
This is a hybrid four-screen video sculpture plus NFT that Beeple can update over time, sold for $28.9M on November 9, 2021. Ryan Zurrer currently owns it, and the NFT is also unlisted. It was Beeple’s first dynamic physical + NFT artwork after the Everydays collection, showing how on-chain art can keep changing.
5. CryptoPunk #5822 for $23.74 million
An ultra-rare Alien Punk depicted with a blue bandana set the CryptoPunks USD record when it sold for 8,000 ETH (≈$23.74 million at the time). According to the Cryptopunk’s official website, A wallet 0xba55…0ce2 bought the NFT; however, it was sold again in August 2024 for an undisclosed price.
6. CryptoPunk #3100 for $23.74 million
A 2024 sale placed this Alien Punk in the high rankings. This NFT was resold on April 10, 2025, for $6.05 million to a wallet with the address 0x074a…97ac. This Punk was part of the ultra-rare alien category, where only nine exist. It is seen wearing a simple headband.
7. CryptoPunk #7523 for $11.75 million
CryptoPunk #7523, nicknamed the “Covid Alien”, sold for $11.75 million at Sotheby’s in June 2021. One of just nine Alien Punks in the collection, it’s distinguished by a medical mask. The sale underscored CryptoPunks’ cultural weight and how NFTs can crystallize a moment in history.
Even with NFT markets cooling from 2021 peaks, these seven sales remain historic outliers, driven by scarcity (Alien Punks), cultural impact (Beeple), or experimental mechanics (Pak). Prices were captured at the moment of sale; ETH/USD and market sentiment have moved since, but the significance of these works—and the stories behind them—still anchors any discussion of digital art’s most valuable milestones.
