In a sign of the ongoing downturn in the NFT market, a rare CryptoPunk NFT—#3100—has just been sold for $6 million, marking a staggering $10 million loss for its seller.
The transaction, completed on April 10 via a private offer on the CryptoPunks marketplace, was brokered by art firm Fountain, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham.
CryptoPunk #3100 is one of only nine Alien Punks in the original 10,000-piece collection, making it one of the most coveted digital assets in the NFT world. It changed hands for 4,000 ETH, worth approximately $6.07 million at the time of the deal.
The anonymous seller purchased the NFT in March 2024 for 4,500 ETH—or about $16 million—when Ethereum traded significantly higher. With ETH prices down nearly 56% over the past year, the seller’s 500 ETH loss translates into a $10 million decline in dollar value.
This latest transaction puts CryptoPunk #3100 back on the leaderboard of top NFT sales for the third time, having previously fetched $7.58 million and $16.03 million in earlier deals. Despite its elite status, the collection has not been immune to market pressures.
CryptoPunks, once a leading symbol in the NFT market, have experienced a significant decline, with their floor price dropping 67% from its peak of 125 ETH in 2021 to around 42.5 ETH (about $66,000), down from over $400,000 during the NFT boom, as reported by CoinGecko. The NFT market shows signs of fatigue, with Q1 2025 trading volume falling to $1.5 billion—a 24% decrease from the previous quarter, according to DappRadar. In 2024, however, NFT trading volume reached $698 million, reflecting a 22% increase from October. While transaction numbers have only slightly decreased, the drop in volume indicates a decline in high-value sales. Despite this downturn, CryptoPunks continue to hold a significant position, representing 23% of the $2.7 billion global NFT market capitalization, highlighting the cooling of the once-vibrant sector.