The NFT world has exploded in the last few years. Trading volumes have shifted, platforms have evolved, and buyer behavior has gone through major changes. If you’re a creator, investor, or someone just curious about the NFT space, understanding how it all works is key. Below, we break down 30 of the most important stats in NFT trading volume, wallet usage, and buyer trends. Each stat is unpacked to help you make smarter moves, whether you’re building something or buying your first NFT.
1. OpenSea accounted for over 70% of total NFT trading volume at its peak in 2021.
OpenSea dominated the NFT scene in 2021. It became the go-to marketplace for everything from profile picture projects to generative art. The reason was simple: they got there early and made it easy to trade. No complicated steps, no hidden walls.
But the key here is timing. If you’re planning to launch a collection, remember that early adoption matters. The platforms that catch momentum first often gain trust—and traffic.
OpenSea wasn’t necessarily better than others. It just got traction first and maintained it with user-friendly tools, solid brand trust, and a wide variety of listings.
What you can do: watch for emerging marketplaces that show signs of fast growth. These are opportunities. If you’re building, think about how to make trading easier, faster, and safer.
That’s what drove OpenSea’s rise. Even today, being first—or early—still matters in NFTs.
2. Blur surpassed OpenSea in daily trading volume in Q1 2023.
Things shifted quickly in 2023. Blur came out of nowhere and started pulling in serious daily trading volume, beating even OpenSea.
Why? They focused on pro traders, built sleek interfaces, and introduced rewards for trading—what people now call “airdrop farming.”
Blur understood that some users were flipping NFTs daily and wanted faster tools.
They didn’t try to be everything for everyone. They zeroed in on high-volume users. And it worked.
If you’re building something in the NFT space, this is a lesson in understanding your audience. Not everyone is a casual buyer. Some users want speed, data, and incentives. Blur gave them exactly that.
As a trader, this tells you where volume is going. If you’re only using one platform, you’re missing part of the action. Try to stay platform-agnostic and follow the volume.
3. Ethereum hosts over 80% of all NFT trading volume across platforms.
Ethereum is still king. Despite high gas fees and scalability issues, it owns the lion’s share of NFT trading volume. People trust it. Developers build on it. Big-name collections launch on it.
Even as new blockchains pop up promising faster and cheaper trades, Ethereum remains the default network. That’s not just inertia—it’s network effect. More wallets, more tools, and more liquidity.
If you’re minting NFTs, think carefully before moving off Ethereum. Unless your audience is already on another chain, you’re likely missing out on volume.
If you’re trading, it’s important to understand that Ethereum projects tend to have more eyes on them, which can lead to higher resale value.
Still, Ethereum’s dominance is also a sign of opportunity—because anything this centralized creates room for disruption.
4. Solana NFTs accounted for roughly 7–10% of total market volume in 2022.
Solana made its mark by offering lower fees and faster transactions. At its peak, it pulled in 10% of the total NFT trading volume—a big deal considering how new it was to the game.
This shows that alternatives to Ethereum are not just hype. They can gain real ground, especially when solving pain points.
Solana’s key selling point was cost. New buyers loved that they could mint or trade without worrying about gas fees.
For creators, Solana offers a lower barrier to entry. You can launch cheaper, test faster, and reach a younger, more experimental audience.
If you’re a trader, Solana-based platforms offer a way to diversify and potentially discover the next big project before it crosses over to Ethereum.
Don’t ignore volume on other chains. Solana’s rise proves there’s room for more than one winner.
5. Polygon NFTs saw a 500% increase in trading volume year-over-year in 2023.
Polygon exploded in popularity thanks to big brands entering the space. Companies like Reddit, Starbucks, and Nike chose Polygon to mint their digital assets. Why? It’s fast, cheap, and Ethereum-compatible.
That 500% growth didn’t happen by accident. It was powered by real partnerships and smart positioning. Polygon made it easy for Web2 companies to dip into Web3 without scaring away their audiences.
For builders, Polygon is a great place to launch NFTs aimed at mainstream audiences. For investors, this is where you’ll find assets with real-world connections—loyalty programs, event tickets, digital merch.
This stat is a reminder that NFTs aren’t just profile pictures anymore. They’re becoming tools for brands, and Polygon is leading that charge.
6. Blur facilitated over $1.5 billion in trading volume in its first few months post-launch.
$1.5 billion in trading volume is massive, especially for a new platform. Blur achieved this by rewarding traders for volume. Their airdrop campaigns created a loop where users kept buying and selling to earn more tokens.
This stat is important because it shows that incentives work. Traders follow rewards. If you’re building a platform, think about what your users want—status, tokens, access, or liquidity—and find a way to deliver it.
If you’re a trader, be careful. Not all volume is healthy. Blur’s rise also brought a wave of speculative trades and wash trading. High volume doesn’t always mean real demand. Always look deeper.
7. Over 80% of NFT trading volume in early 2023 was attributed to wash trading.
This stat is a reality check. Not all volume is genuine. Wash trading—where someone buys and sells to themselves—was a huge part of early 2023’s activity. It was often done to farm airdrops or create artificial demand.
Why does this matter? Because many people look at volume as a signal of value. But inflated volume can mislead buyers into thinking a project is hot when it’s not.
Always look at unique buyer count, wallet distribution, and organic community engagement. Volume alone is not a signal of health. If you’re creating a project, focus on building real demand—not fake volume. That’s what will last.
8. The average holding time for NFTs is less than 30 days for over 60% of traders.
Most people are flipping. They’re not holding for the long term. This tells us something critical: NFTs are still seen as a short-term investment by most users.
If you’re creating a project, design it with fast turnover in mind. That means making sure early buyers have a reason to list and trade your NFTs. Think about royalties, scarcity, or timed rewards.
If you’re a trader, realize the game is often about timing. Getting in early and exiting before the hype fades can make or break your results. Don’t get too attached unless the project has long-term utility.
Holding for the long run? That’s rare. Plan accordingly.
9. Over 50% of NFT buyers used non-custodial wallets like MetaMask.
More than half of all NFT buyers prefer non-custodial wallets, with MetaMask leading the way. That means they control their private keys, their assets, and their identity on-chain. It’s a big deal because it shows the average NFT buyer values control and decentralization.
If you’re designing anything in the NFT space—apps, marketplaces, games—you need to make it easy for MetaMask users to connect and trade. Don’t force users into creating new wallets. Meet them where they already are.
For buyers, using a non-custodial wallet puts you in the driver’s seat. But it also means you’re responsible for your security. If you lose your seed phrase, no one’s coming to help. Always back it up in more than one place.
This stat also hints at a huge opportunity: wallets are a major touchpoint. Whoever controls that entry point has influence. If you’re thinking long-term, wallet infrastructure might be where the next wave of innovation happens.
10. Wallets with 1–5 NFTs represent over 70% of active NFT users.
Most people who are active in NFTs own just a handful. That makes sense. Many are still experimenting, testing different collections, or just getting started.
This stat tells you something powerful: you don’t need a big collection to be an engaged user. It also suggests that the majority of users are not whales—they’re casual buyers. They might be fans, gamers, or collectors testing the waters.
If you’re launching a project, don’t build for the 1% who own hundreds of NFTs. Speak to the average user. Make it affordable, accessible, and fun. Think low gas, easy onboarding, and small collection sizes that make people feel like early adopters.
As a trader, remember that targeting this group—wallets with just a few NFTs—can be smart. They’re likely to engage, share, and hold if they feel part of something small and special.
11. Only about 5% of wallets own over 90% of NFT trading volume.
This stat shows just how concentrated the NFT market really is. A tiny fraction of wallets are responsible for almost all the trading action. These are the power users—the whales, market makers, and flip farmers.
They drive floor prices, influence volume, and often set the tone for entire projects. If one or two of these wallets move, the market feels it.
For creators, you need to ask: are you building for this 5%, or the other 95%? Some projects lean into exclusivity and try to attract whales. Others go wide, focusing on community.
For traders, follow the whales—but don’t blindly copy them. Use tools that let you track large wallet movements, but make your own decisions based on your entry point, your risk tolerance, and your goals.
It’s tempting to chase the big fish. But most profit lies in seeing where they’re going before they get there.
12. 90% of NFT traders are male, according to wallet analytics.
The gender gap in NFTs is real. Most active wallets belong to men. That might not be surprising in a tech-driven, finance-heavy space, but it matters.
It means we’re still early in onboarding diverse audiences. It also means there’s a massive untapped market. Projects that speak to broader groups—especially women and underrepresented communities—have room to stand out.
If you’re building, think about your design, language, and branding. Are you unintentionally excluding people? Are your community spaces welcoming? Do your visuals tell the story you want?
This stat isn’t just about fairness—it’s about opportunity. NFTs will only go mainstream when everyone feels invited.
13. Over 70% of NFT trading occurs via desktop platforms vs. mobile.
Even though everyone has a phone, most NFT trading still happens on desktops. That’s because the experience is smoother, the interfaces are more advanced, and mobile wallet integration is still clunky on many platforms.
But that’s changing. More apps are building mobile-first tools. WalletConnect, Rainbow, and Coinbase Wallet are pushing mobile UX forward.
For developers, the takeaway is clear: mobile is the future, but desktop is still where the money moves. So you need to optimize for both. If your platform or project isn’t mobile-friendly yet, that’s a gap to fix.
As a trader, use desktop for serious decisions—but get comfortable with mobile. The next bull run may be powered by mobile-first users, especially as casual collectors and brand-led NFTs grow.
14. About 40% of first-time NFT buyers make no second purchase.
That’s nearly half of all first-time buyers walking away after one transaction. That means something went wrong—or nothing exciting happened after the purchase.
Maybe they didn’t feel welcomed. Maybe the NFT didn’t do anything. Maybe they just didn’t understand the value.
This stat is a wake-up call. If you’re building an NFT collection, the first experience matters more than anything else. Make onboarding smooth. Follow up with content. Create a reason for people to come back—whether it’s airdrops, events, or simple community check-ins.
For platforms, think about what happens after the purchase. Are you offering discovery tools, wallet insights, or meaningful recommendations?
If you’re a buyer, this is your edge. Most people stop early. If you’re willing to go a little deeper, you’ll find better projects, better communities, and better results.
15. The average NFT trader interacts with 3–4 marketplaces regularly.
There is no one-stop shop. Most active traders bounce between platforms—OpenSea, Blur, Magic Eden, LooksRare, and more—depending on where the volume, deals, and incentives are.
This stat shows the value of being flexible. If you’re sticking to just one marketplace, you’re probably missing opportunities.
For creators, this means multi-platform exposure is smart. Don’t just list on OpenSea and hope for the best. List where your audience trades. Offer cross-chain compatibility if possible.
If you’re a trader, build habits around checking multiple platforms. Price differences happen. Arbitrage exists. Tools like NFT aggregators can save you time, but personal insight still wins.
Trading across marketplaces gives you a better feel for trends and buyer psychology.
16. Less than 20% of NFT buyers ever resell their purchases.
Most people buy and hold—even if they didn’t plan to. That might be due to low liquidity, emotional attachment, or simply a lack of interest in flipping.
This tells us that for many, NFTs are not just investments—they’re digital collectibles. People buy them for identity, expression, or access, not just profit.
If you’re building a project, consider how to give long-term holders value. Maybe it’s token-gated content, future airdrops, or social status. Make holding feel like a choice—not a trap.
As a trader, understand this behavior when pricing your listings. Many holders won’t undercut you. That can help support floors. But it also means sales may be slow. Plan your liquidity accordingly.
17. NFTs in the gaming category see 2–3x more wallet interaction than art NFTs.
Gaming NFTs are leading the charge when it comes to user engagement. They’re not just sitting in wallets—they’re being used, traded, upgraded, and staked. That’s a big difference from art NFTs, which often just get bought and stored.
This higher interaction rate means people are coming back. They’re logging in, playing, and using their assets in-game.
That creates sticky behavior and long-term value. It also means those NFTs get more visibility and liquidity.
If you’re building an NFT project, think utility. What can people do with your tokens? If it’s just about art, the experience ends after the purchase. But if it’s part of a game, ecosystem, or reward loop, people stick around.
For traders, game NFTs might seem riskier, but the upside is in momentum. When a game gains traction, its assets can skyrocket—often with more wallet movement than passive collectibles. Track activity levels, not just price.
The future of NFTs might be about usage, not just ownership. Gaming is showing us the blueprint.
18. Over 50% of NFT trading activity happens within 24 hours of mint.
The first day is where it all happens. Half the trading volume of most projects occurs right after mint. That’s when hype is high, eyes are watching, and flippers are active.
This stat teaches us one key thing: timing is everything. If you’re launching a project, your first 24 hours will make or break it. Get your messaging, pricing, and rollout strategy right. Make it easy to mint, clear to understand, and emotionally exciting.
If you’re a trader, this is your window. Watch how listings move. Are people flipping fast, or are they holding? Are floors crashing or holding steady? These signals can tell you whether to jump in or wait.
Volume right after mint doesn’t always mean success. But it’s the moment when all the action happens. Being ready gives you an edge.
19. NFT trading dropped over 90% from peak levels in late 2021.
This stat is a reminder that the hype cycle was real—and that it cooled off hard. From the wild highs of 2021, NFT trading has dropped by more than 90% in volume. That sounds scary, but it’s actually healthy.
It means the tourists are gone. What’s left are the builders, the believers, and the serious traders. This is where real value emerges.
If you’re launching now, don’t panic. You’re not late—you’re early to the next cycle. Focus on substance, not speculation. Use this quieter time to build trust, utility, and quality.
For buyers, this is when deals happen. When everyone was euphoric, prices were irrational. Now, you can find underpriced assets and strong teams quietly delivering.
The drop isn’t a death sentence. It’s a reset. And in Web3, resets often lead to revolutions.
20. The top 1% of traders generate over 90% of NFT trading profits.
This is one of the most sobering stats. A tiny percentage of traders walk away with almost all the profit. They know the game. They move early, act fast, and understand signals that others miss.
So what can you do? Don’t try to mimic every move they make—but study their behavior. Tools like DegenData, NFTNerds, or Icy Tools can help you track top wallets. Learn when they buy, how long they hold, and what they avoid.
If you’re just starting, focus on education, not chasing flips. Build a system. Track your trades. Set limits. Most people lose money trying to trade like pros without the tools or patience.
If you’re a creator, realize that many projects are influenced by just a few big players. A single wallet can swing your floor. Engage them, understand their needs, but don’t build solely for them.
This stat reminds us that information is power. Use it wisely.
21. 80% of active NFT wallets are on Ethereum Layer 1 or Layer 2.
Ethereum is still home. But the interesting part? A growing number of wallets are moving to Layer 2s like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base. They offer lower fees and faster speeds—without leaving Ethereum behind.
That means you can still tap into Ethereum’s ecosystem, but with better UX. For builders, this is your cue: optimize for L2s. Gas fees are a killer for new users, and Layer 2s fix that without sacrificing trust.
For traders, L2s offer cheaper testing grounds. Want to try minting or flipping without burning $100 in gas? Go to an L2. They’re fast, they’re cheap, and they’re gaining serious traction.
Ethereum isn’t just a chain—it’s an ecosystem. And the smart money is flowing into the layers on top.
22. LooksRare saw over $10 billion in wash-traded volume shortly after launch.
LooksRare entered the scene with bold moves and a big rewards system. But most of its early volume wasn’t organic—it was wash trading. Users traded with themselves to farm LOOKS tokens and inflate stats.
Why does this matter? Because it shows how incentives can be abused. Volume is easy to fake if there’s money to be earned. But faking community? Much harder.
If you’re building a marketplace or token system, design your incentives carefully. Reward real behavior—actual purchases, real engagement, verified users.
As a trader, don’t trust volume alone. Dig deeper. Use tools that track real buyers. Look at Discords, Twitter mentions, and wallet activity. A project with 1,000 genuine buyers is stronger than one with fake volume and no soul.
The LooksRare saga is a case study in what not to do. But it’s also a lesson in how fast things can grow—when users see value.
23. The average NFT trade size on Ethereum is over $500.
Despite the drop in volume, NFTs on Ethereum are still big-ticket items. The average trade size is over $500, meaning users are still willing to spend serious money on digital assets.
That tells us Ethereum isn’t for casual buyers. It’s the premium lane. If you’re minting on Ethereum, make sure your project matches that positioning. High-quality art, utility, or exclusivity matters here.
For traders, this stat means you need to manage your risk. Every trade is significant. Small mistakes cost big. Use tracking tools. Set budgets. Don’t chase hype with blind bids.
If you’re looking for smaller, experimental plays, maybe head to Polygon or Solana. But if you’re aiming for quality over quantity, Ethereum still leads.
24. About 60% of Blur’s users participate in incentive farming.
Most users on Blur aren’t just there to trade—they’re farming rewards. Blur’s points system gives tokens to users based on their trading activity, listings, and liquidity. That changes the behavior of the entire marketplace.
It’s not about holding—it’s about volume. This can create fake demand, but it also drives liquidity. Prices move faster. Floors are thinner. Action is everywhere.
If you’re trading on Blur, understand the game. You’re competing with farmers who aren’t trading based on value—they’re trading for rewards. That can distort prices.
For creators, this stat tells you that incentives work—but they also shift behavior. If your holders are only in it for the next reward, they won’t stay long. Build a culture, not just a carrot.
Blur isn’t broken. It’s just a different game. Know the rules, and you can win.
25. 70% of NFTs purchased under $100 never appreciate in value.
This stat is a gut check. Most low-cost NFTs don’t rise in price. In fact, the majority of sub-$100 NFTs just sit in wallets, forgotten and unsold. That’s not to say cheap NFTs are worthless—but most don’t gain value.
Why? Because price alone isn’t the factor. It’s about community, storytelling, scarcity, and utility. Many low-priced projects launch without any long-term plan. They hope people will mint because it’s cheap—and then just stick around.
If you’re a buyer, be careful chasing the “cheap” narrative. A low price doesn’t mean a good deal. It usually means no demand. Before buying anything, ask: who made this? What’s the purpose? Is there a reason for people to care six months from now?
For creators, pricing low can be a strategy—but it only works if you pair it with engagement. Give holders something to come back for. Without that, you’re just another collection lost in the feed.
26. Over 90% of NFT collections have little to no trading activity after mint.
The NFT graveyard is real. Most projects go quiet after launch. That initial hype fades, the Discord goes silent, and the floor drops to zero. It’s brutal—but it’s also normal.
This stat teaches an important lesson: launching is easy, maintaining is hard. If you’re starting a collection, plan beyond the mint. How will you keep attention? What’s your roadmap? What happens for holders a month, six months, or a year later?
If you’re buying, don’t fall for FOMO. Look for signs that a team is serious—consistent updates, thoughtful communication, and actual delivery. If they disappear a week after mint, so will your investment.
Building in NFTs is a marathon. Too many projects treat it like a sprint—and vanish.
27. NFT marketplaces cumulatively earned over $2 billion in trading fees by 2022.
That’s a huge number. $2 billion in fees collected by marketplaces proves just how big the NFT economy became—fast. And most of that money came from active traders and creators paying platform cuts.
If you’re a builder, this stat shows the power of owning infrastructure. Marketplaces don’t need to mint or own NFTs. They just need to facilitate trades and take a piece of the action.
For traders, be aware of the fees you’re paying. Some platforms charge more than others. Over time, those small percentages add up. Look for platforms offering fee rebates, incentives, or lower costs for volume traders.
If you’re a creator, explore platforms that let you set your own royalties—or give you more control. That 2 billion figure is your reminder that someone is always making money in NFTs. Make sure you’re one of them.
28. Only 5–10% of users drive most social engagement related to NFT collections.
When you scroll through Twitter or hop in Discord, it feels like a ton of people are talking. But in reality, it’s the same small group making most of the noise. These are your power users—your superfans.
They matter more than you think. They drive memes, narratives, and attention. They’re the ones onboarding others, defending your floor, and keeping your community alive.
If you’re a creator, identify these people early. Reward them. Give them a role. Turn them into insiders, mods, or ambassadors. They will do more for your brand than any ad ever could.
As a trader or buyer, follow these users. What are they excited about? Who are they talking to? Where they go, liquidity often follows.
This stat isn’t about volume—it’s about influence. And in NFTs, influence often pays.
29. Over 65% of NFT wallets are inactive for more than 3 months at a time.
The market may look active, but most wallets are quiet. Two-thirds of holders haven’t done anything in over three months. No buys, no listings, no engagement. Just silent wallets.
This tells us that attention is the most scarce asset in NFTs. People drop off fast. If you’re a project, don’t assume holders are still watching. You have to re-earn their attention constantly—with updates, value, or utility.
If you’re a buyer, this means low supply can be misleading. Just because there are 10,000 tokens doesn’t mean they’re in active hands. If no one’s listing or trading, you might get stuck holding something with no exit.
This stat reminds us to track active wallets, not just total holders. A large number of dormant wallets is like a crowd full of mannequins—looks big, but it’s not moving.
30. Daily active NFT wallets dropped from over 100K in 2021 to around 20K in 2023.
That’s a major fall, but it’s not the end—it’s a clearing of the field. The number of daily active wallets has dropped by 80%, but what’s left is a focused, committed group. The tourists left. The builders stayed.
If you’re still here, you’re early for the next cycle. This low-activity period is when you can build credibility, relationships, and momentum. When the market returns, you’ll already have a foundation.
For platforms and creators, focus on this core 20K. Learn what they need. Build for them. Engage deeply. They’re not just users—they’re early adopters who will bring the next wave with them.
This stat is your signal that now is the time to go deep, not wide. Volume may be low, but quality is rising.
wrapping it up
The NFT world is constantly shifting. Platforms rise and fall. Wallets come and go. Buyers change their behavior based on incentives, hype, or utility. But underneath it all, a few truths remain clear.
Projects with strong communities win. Traders who study behavior—not just prices—succeed. And those who build during slow periods are the ones who shine when the market returns.
