1 October 2024
Why are NFTs so expensive?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been around for more than a decade, but they didn't have the same level of interest and exposure as they do now. NFT has grown in popularity and recognition over the years, to the point where even celebrities want to purchase or collaborate with the NFT artists. In today's changing Cryptocurrency market, NFTs and their tokens are reaching new heights with billions of NFTs being sold and spreading like wildfire worldwide. To put it another way, investors, types of artists from different fields, and Crypto artists are head over heels for it. Thus, NFTs are rocking the world left and right causing it to revolve around them.
NFTs have also piqued the interest of brands. Some of America’s most well-known corporations have jumped on board in recent weeks, selling limited-edition Taco Bell Cryptoart, old Time magazine covers, a New York Times piece, and a virtual Pringles chip taste. NFTs appear to have made it into the mainstream even though the technology is still complicated and mostly inaccessible to average citizens. Millions of dollars have been poured into this developing market for digital goods, catapulting the careers of some independent NFT creators. Meanwhile, some critics have turned off the speculative mania surrounding NFTs and the resale market has driven prices up.
Also read: 6 Things You Should Know Before Investing In NFTs
Based on the recent statistics, earlier this year in March, Everydays: The first 5,000 Days which is the most expensive NFT of all time was sold for over $69.3 million. The winning bidder Vignesh Sundaresan who is also known as MetaKovan stated in an interview that he was hands down ready to bid even a higher price for this particular NFT piece.
You must be wondering “what’s so fascinating about NFTs?” “What makes people want to buy it?” “What makes them want to bid millions on it?” “What makes it so unique?” and so on. All of your queries will be answered in the following sections:
What makes it so valuable?
Anyone could tokenize their work and offer it as an NFT. But recent headlines describing multi-million dollar purchases have piqued attention. Nyan Cat is a meme from 2011 portraying a cat flying into a pop tart. On the other hand, an animated version of Nyan Cat was sold for more than $500,000. A few weeks later, some of Grimes’ digital art was auctioned to the public for more than $6 million. Not only is art tokenized and sold, but so is everything else.
Art is not the only thing that can be tokenized and sold. An NFT of Twitter’s first tweet was sold for over $2.5 million, promoted by its founder Jack Dorsey. CROSSROADS was produced as a response to the 2020 presidential election and was offered through Nifty Gateway. Blockchain technology is used to verify all of Beeple’s NFT works including CROSSROADS. Buyers may be assured that their purchase is legitimate because it includes an encryption file and a digital signature.
Why do people purchase NFTs?
Recently, Rodriguez-Fraile told Insider that the surging price of Bitcoin, covid pandemic, and distrust in the US dollar had created a perfect storm. A few days back, Bitcoin had struck a new record, surpassing over $60,000 for the first time. Since the outbreak of COVID19, people have begun to save money. Last year, 59 percent of people with an income over $100,000 increased their savings significantly. NFTs are another method for people to invest now as US currency appears to be at an all-time low. As per Rodriguez-Fraile, it is a modern approach to investing in art and using it like someone would use Gold or Bitcoin.
Also read: World's Top 15 Most Expensive NFTs
How are NFTs valuable?
These traditional art, such as paintings, sculptures, and statues, are valuable because they are one-of-a-kind. But, on the other hand, digital files can be copied on the internet quickly and endlessly. By utilizing these methods of technology, any file can be transformed into a digital certificate of ownership and exchange on an NFT market. Other Cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), are maintained in a distributed ledger known as Blockchain Altcoins. The ledger cannot be faked or manipulated because it is maintained and verified in real-time by thousands of computers all across the world. Smart contracts which can pay the artists a part of future sales can also be integrated into NFTs.
NFTs are unique tokens that are a part of the Ethereum Blockchain and can be used to store up additional data. Artwork, music, and videos are among the other things that can be converted into photos in MP3 files, movies, GIFs, and other formats using JPG, MP3, and other formats. Digital art, like physical art, can be bought and sold because it has value. However, the value of digital art is highly impacted by supply and demand.
Is it a good investment?
There are some online marketers where you may view and buy digital artwork. They’re sometimes referred to as galleries. Purchasing NFTs can be a worthwhile investment aside from the aesthetic aspect. An NFT can technically be used as a certificate for almost any purpose such as a famous painting or an official pair of sneakers (like NIKE’s CryptoKicks). It is easy to prove that you own a painting or a pair of shoes.
But above all, it is a true revolution in the art world, as any digital production can now be recognized and acknowledged as a one-of-a-kind workpiece, earning value almost instantly just like everything is unique. For instance, memes too can be regarded as one-of-a-kind works.
Also Read: A Comprehensive Guide To Create, Sell And Buy NFTs
Future Prospects of NFTs
The younger generation is already habituated to owning digital treasures as a store of value, and society is steadily transitioning from physical media to virtual experiences and environments. The radio station can use tokens to secure rights to broadcast music tracks while streaming services may find it easier to purchase rights to films and TV programs.
Disclaimer: The author’s thoughts and comments are solely for educational reasons and informative purposes only. They do not represent financial, investment, or other advice.