The most expensive NFT in the world is The Merge by the anonymous artist Pak, which sold for a combined US$91.8 million (about Rp1.67 trillion) in December 2021. Counted as a single artwork with a single buyer, the record belongs to Beeple's Everydays: The First 5000 Days at US$69.3 million (about Rp1.26 trillion).

This list is updated with the 2024 CryptoPunk resales, rupiah prices at a dated exchange rate, and the current state of the NFT market.

Key Takeaways

• The most expensive NFT in the world is The Merge (US$91.8 million), but it was a combined sale to nearly 29,000 buyers. For a single artwork, the record is Beeple's Everydays (US$69.3 million).
• Rupiah prices in this article use the Bank Indonesia JISDOR rate of October 30, 2026 (Rp18,138 per US$1), not the rate at the time of each sale.
• Three CryptoPunk sales in 2024 changed the top 10 ranking.
• The 2026 NFT market is far quieter than at its peak, and record prices do not represent NFT prices in general.
• Before buying an NFT, understand the risks and do your own research.

Read also: The Stablecoin Narrative as the Main Pillar of the Crypto Market

What Is an NFT?

An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a unique digital asset stored on a blockchain. Unlike other crypto assets such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are fungible (interchangeable at the same value), every NFT has its own identity and uniqueness. An NFT can be digital art, music, a game item, or a virtual asset in the metaverse. The basics are in NFT explained: ownership, function, and key risks.

An NFT's value depends on factors such as scarcity, uniqueness, the creator's popularity, and community hype. That is why an NFT can become a digital asset with an extremely high price. To understand the technology behind it, read what is a blockchain explorer, a tool for checking an NFT's transaction history on the blockchain.

Top 10 Most Expensive NFTs in History (2026)

The ranking is based on the nominal dollar price of the latest confirmed sale. Rupiah prices use a rate of Rp18,138 per US$1 (Bank Indonesia JISDOR, October 30, 2026). The images below are data cards made by Mobee, not reproductions of the original artworks.

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

1. The Merge: US$91.8 Million (about Rp1.67 Trillion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

The Merge by the anonymous artist Pak was sold on Nifty Gateway from December 2 to 4, 2021. It was bought by nearly 29,000 collectors, each buying "mass", units that can be merged into one form. Total sales reached US$91.8 million. Because this was a combined (open edition) sale, The Merge is not a single NFT owned by one person, and some international lists leave it out. We still place it at number 1, with a clear label.

2. Everydays: The First 5000 Days: US$69.3 Million (about Rp1.26 Trillion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

Mike Winkelmann, known as Beeple, made one image every day for more than 13 years, then combined 5,000 of them into a single collage. It sold at Christie's on March 11, 2021 for 42,329 ETH, or US$69.3 million. This was one artwork bought by one buyer, and it was a turning point because a classic auction house sold an NFT for the price of a major artwork for the first time. The buyer received the NFT token, not the copyright. Some observers also point to a conflict of interest, since the buyer held many tokens tied to other Beeple works.

3. Clock: US$52.7 Million (about Rp956 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

Clock is a collaboration between Pak and Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. The work shows a counter marking how long Assange has been detained. The 48-hour auction was won by AssangeDAO on February 9, 2022 for 16,593 ETH, or US$52.7 million. AssangeDAO is a crowd purchase by thousands of contributors, so the buyer was a collective, not one person. Some media wrote US$56 million, but that was the money raised by the DAO, not the winning price.

4. Human One: US$28.9 Million (about Rp524 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

Beeple set another record with Human One, a hybrid work that combines a physical sculpture and an NFT. The sculpture has a video display whose imagery Beeple can update over time. Human One sold at Christie's in November 2021 for US$28.9 million (US$25 million hammer price plus auction fees). Because it includes a physical sculpture, some people do not call it a pure NFT.

5. CryptoPunk #5822: US$23.7 Million (about Rp430 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

CryptoPunks is one of the most iconic NFT projects on Ethereum. CryptoPunk #5822 sold for 8,000 ETH, or US$23.7 million, on February 12, 2022. It is one of only 9 Alien Punks among 10,000 characters, which makes it extremely rare. The buyer was Deepak Thapliyal, CEO of Chain.

6. CryptoPunk #7804: US$16.42 Million (about Rp298 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

This punk is an Alien with a pipe. In March 2021 it sold for 4,200 ETH (about US$7.57 million), then resold for 4,850 ETH, or US$16.42 million, on March 20, 2024. We use the 2024 figure because it is higher. Many older lists still show the 2021 price.

7. CryptoPunk #3100: US$16.03 Million (about Rp291 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

This Alien Punk with a headband sold for about US$7.6 million in March 2021, then resold for 4,500 ETH, or US$16.03 million, on March 3, 2024. In April 2025 the same punk was reported sold again for 4,000 ETH, about US$6.08 million, in a private offer. This shows an NFT's price can fall sharply from its earlier record.

8. CryptoPunk #635: US$12.38 Million (about Rp225 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

This Alien Punk sold for 4,000 ETH, or US$12.38 million, on April 25, 2024. This sale entered the top 10 after older lists were written.

9. CryptoPunk #7523 (COVID Alien): US$11.75 Million (about Rp213 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

Nicknamed the COVID Alien because it wears a medical mask, CryptoPunk #7523 is the only masked Alien. It sold for US$11.75 million at the Sotheby's "Natively Digital" auction on June 10, 2021. At the time it was the record for a single CryptoPunk.

10. CryptoPunk #4156 (Ape Punk): US$10.2 Million (about Rp185 Billion)

Data card made by Mobee, not a reproduction of the original artwork.

CryptoPunk #4156 is an Ape Punk with a blue bandana, one of 24 Apes in the collection. It sold for 2,500 ETH, or about US$10.2 million, in December 2021 through the CryptoPunks marketplace.

Note: Tpunk #3442 (TRON network, bought by Justin Sun, about US$10.5 million in 2021) is not in the ranking because its main source is only the buyer's announcement and it has not been independently verified.

Read also: Understanding XRP and How to Start Crypto Trading to widen your knowledge.

Why Can NFTs Be So Expensive?

Several main factors can push an NFT's price sky-high:

• Scarcity. The fewer NFTs there are, the higher the value. For example, only 9 of 10,000 CryptoPunks are Aliens.
• Creator reputation. Famous artists like Beeple or iconic projects like CryptoPunks carry great appeal.
• History and symbolism. NFTs like Clock carry political and historical meaning that strengthens their value.
• Community and hype. Popularity in the crypto community can push NFT prices up.
• Investment and speculation. Many buyers see NFTs as a long-term asset, even though prices can fall sharply. CryptoPunk #3100 above fell from US$16.03 million to about US$6.08 million in a year.

Most Expensive NFT vs Best-Selling NFT

The most expensive NFT is measured by a single transaction price, such as one artwork sold for tens of millions of dollars. The best-selling NFT is measured by the number of sales or total volume of a collection. One NFT can be very expensive yet rarely change hands, while a best-selling collection can hold cheap NFTs.

Popular projects like Pudgy Penguins are often discussed for their collection and community. If you are curious, read the PENGU token and the Pudgy Penguins ecosystem.

Most Expensive NFTs from Indonesian Creators

There is no official ranking of the most expensive Indonesian NFT. Figures reported by the media differ and use different bases, so we do not name a single winner. Below are the best-known cases in the media, with a note on what each figure actually counts.

Because the bases differ (one work, one collection, or an auction total), this table is not a ranking. Check the original sources before quoting.

Are NFTs Still Selling in 2026?

NFTs are still being traded in 2026, but their value is far below the peak. According to CryptoSlam data cited by findweb3, NFT sales volume from January 1 to September 22, 2026 was only about US$1.92 billion, while all of 2022 came in at about US$23.7 billion.

A few more data points to know:

• Average prices are down. The average NFT sale price was US$124 in 2024, US$96 in 2025, and US$75 in 2026 through September (CryptoSlam data cited by findweb3).
• Transactions continue. The market is not dead, but many transactions are small.
• Records do not represent the market. Sales worth tens of millions of dollars are exceptions. CryptoPunk #3100 shows a price can fall by more than half in a short time.
• Low liquidity. An NFT cannot always be sold quickly at the price you want.

So NFTs still sell as collectibles and community assets, but there is no guarantee their value will rise or that they will be easy to resell.

The Future of NFTs

After the hype faded, NFTs are moving in a steadier direction with a focus on real utility.

• Digital identity (DID): NFTs can work as a digital passport holding personal records or credentials.
• Real-world asset tokenization (RWA): Property, gold, and stocks can be split into tokens to make investing more affordable. Learn more about XAUt as an example of a tokenized real-world asset.
• Loyalty and ticketing: NFTs replace tickets and loyalty cards and give access to exclusive rewards.

If you want to look at NFTs from an investing angle, read about PFP, the NFT profile picture trend.

Table of the 10 Most Expensive NFTs in History

Rupiah prices use the Bank Indonesia JISDOR rate of October 30, 2026: Rp18,138 per US$1. This conversion is not the rupiah value at the time of the sale. Dollar prices are nominal values at the time of the sale as reported by media. For NFTs that were resold, we use the highest confirmed sale.

NFTs and Digital Assets at Mobee

Mobee is operated by PT CTXG Indonesia Berkarya, licensed and supervised by OJK. At Mobee, you can track and buy digital assets close to the NFT world, such as ETH, the currency widely used for NFT transactions, and PENGU, the token of the Pudgy Penguins project. Download Mobee on the App Store or Google Play.

Conclusion

The most expensive NFTs show how digital art, blockchain technology, and internet culture can create new value. The Merge holds the record for a combined sale, while Everydays holds the record for a single work. But those record prices are exceptions. The 2026 NFT market is much smaller than at its peak, and prices can fall sharply after an expensive purchase. If you are interested in NFTs, understand the risks first and only use funds you can afford to hold.

FAQ

Disclaimer: This content is meant to give readers additional information and is not an invitation or advice to invest. Past prices do not guarantee future results. Crypto assets and NFTs are high risk and their value can rise or fall. Do your own research before making any decision. All crypto buying, selling, and investing activity is the reader's own responsibility.