- An anonymous buyer purchased CryptoPunk #3100, one of 9 rare Alien punks, for 4,500 ETH ($16.3 million) on March 4, 2024, the 2nd highest price ever paid for a CryptoPunk
- The purchase comes amidst renewed optimism in the crypto community, with Bitcoin and Ethereum rallying last week after the 2022 crash
- While not the most expensive NFT ever, it marks a return to high value sales for the blue chip CryptoPunks collection, totaling over $2.75 billion in volume since 2017
On Monday, an anonymous individual purchased a CryptoPunks NFT for over $16 million worth of cryptocurrency in the second-largest transaction for a CryptoPunk ever recorded. The expensive purchase signals a potential return to the heights of the 2021-2022 crypto bull market.
Details of the Sale
The purchaser, whose identity is unknown, bought CryptoPunk #3100 for 4,500 ETH (worth $16.3 million at the time) just after 9:30am EST on March 4, 2024. Their wallet was created only 4 days prior, exclusively for this purchase.
CryptoPunk #3100 is one of only 9 Alien Punks in the 10,000 piece collection. Alien Punks have fetched some of the highest prices for CryptoPunks, like #5822 which sold for nearly $24 million in early 2022.
The buyer had attempted to purchase #3100 for days, initially bidding 4,250 ETH on Thursday, later upping their offer to 4,500 ETH on Monday morning.
Response from the Crypto Community
On Twitter, users celebrated the purchase as a sign of the bull market‘s return. It comes after Bitcoin‘s rally last week, where it consistently climbed thousands in value each day.
Ethereum also rose above $3,500 for the first time since early 2022. The mood among crypto enthusiasts is one of optimism.
How This Compares to Other Sales
While expensive, this doesn’t top the most expensive NFT ever sold – the $69.3 million sale of Beeple’s Everydays in March 2021.
But it is the 2nd most expensive CryptoPunk sale behind Alien Punk #5822. CryptoPunks have yielded over $2.75 billion in volume since their free mint in 2017.
Conclusion
The multi-million dollar purchase of CryptoPunk #3100 is an encouraging sign for the NFT market after the crypto crash of 2022. As cryptocurrency prices show signs of recovery, high-value NFT sales may follow suit. CryptoPunks remains one of the most prestigious NFT collections, with its rare Alien Punks commanding prices in the tens of millions. This record-setting sale is likely just the beginning as NFTs gain mainstream momentum.
