**“NFT Sales Are Up — But the Money Isn’t: Why Cheap Tokens Are Skewing the Market”**
The NFT market is witnessing a paradox: **sales numbers are rising**, but **trading volume is shrinking**. According to the latest DappRadar report, **June 2025 saw a major uptick in the number of NFTs sold**, but the overall **dollar value of those trades fell sharply**. What’s going on?
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### 📉 High Activity, Low Value
DappRadar’s data shows:
* Over **6.5 million NFTs** were sold in June
* This marks a **28% increase** in sales compared to May
* However, **trading volume dropped by 44%**, falling to just **\$466 million**
This signals a market shift toward **lower-priced NFTs**, as creators and platforms experiment with affordability to attract users.
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### 🧩 What's Causing the Drop in Volume?
Several factors are contributing:
* **Free or ultra-low-cost NFTs** distributed for promotions and gaming integrations
* A shift in focus from blue-chip collections (like BAYC, Azuki) to **mass-market digital assets**
* Less speculative trading and **more user-driven utility** (in gaming, metaverse, membership)
Many of these NFTs are being traded for **pennies or fractions of crypto tokens**, which skews volume metrics while inflating sales figures.
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### 🎮 Gaming NFTs Leading the Charge
Projects like **Pixels**, **Gods Unchained**, and **Axie Infinity** are seeing more traction:
* Users acquire NFTs not as collectibles, but as **functional in-game assets**
* This leads to **high-frequency, low-cost transactions**
* It’s a trend that aligns with **Web3’s “use-first” philosophy**, rather than pure investment
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### 🧠 Interpretation: Is This a Bad Thing?
Not necessarily. Experts say:
* It may signal **maturity in the market**
* **Speculators exiting** could reduce volatility
* A rise in **utility-based NFTs** might boost long-term adoption
But for investors banking on high-value trades, **this could be a warning sign** of market saturation or declining collector appetite.
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### **Conclusion:**
The NFT market is evolving.