According to Decrypt, the CryptoPunks NFT collection has seen a significant resurgence, with its floor price surpassing $100,000 for the first time since June. This increase comes amid a broader upswing in the cryptocurrency market, including substantial gains for Bitcoin. The floor price, which represents the lowest price for an asset listed on a marketplace, has been bolstered by a sharp rise in trading volume. Over the past week, the Ethereum-based NFT collection traded over $14.5 million, marking a 730% increase compared to the previous week, as reported by CryptoSlam. This surge in activity has led to more sales in the last four days than any similar period in the past year, according to analyst Punk9059.
The overall NFT market also experienced a 95% week-over-week increase in trading volume, reaching $163 million. A significant portion of this volume is attributed to new entrants into the CryptoPunks ecosystem, pushing the unique owner count to a record high of 3,793, based on data from Etherscan. This trend contrasts with the collection's early days when it was claimed for free by a small group of Ethereum and NFT pioneers, resulting in a concentrated holder distribution.
The renewed interest in CryptoPunks may be driven by buyers looking to enhance their NFT portfolios, fueled by recent gains in the cryptocurrency market. CoinGecko reports that the market's total capitalization increased by over $500 billion in the past week. An example of this trend is the pseudonymous user Wheresrare, who purchased CryptoPunk #2965 for approximately $117,000, attributing the purchase to profits from a successful trade.
CryptoPunks, one of the oldest and most renowned NFT collections, was initially available for free on the Ethereum blockchain in 2017. It reached an all-time high floor price of over $400,000 in November 2021 and is regarded as a status symbol among crypto enthusiasts. The collection's prestige is further enhanced by high-profile sales, including five on-chain transactions exceeding $10 million each and over 50 sales above $1 million historically. Celebrities like Jay-Z and Steve Aoki have also contributed to its fame by using CryptoPunks as profile pictures on social media platforms.
Despite the decline in NFT mania since 2021, CryptoPunks continues to hold its status, with Jay-Z still displaying Punk #6095 to his 2.9 million followers on X. The collection's traits have inspired other NFT projects, such as the Bored Ape Yacht Club, which has historically competed with CryptoPunks for the title of the most valuable NFT collection in the profile picture category. In March 2022, Yuga Labs, the parent company of Bored Ape Yacht Club, acquired the CryptoPunks collection from its original creators.
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