The NFT market’s headline-making auction boom is now being viewed against a more practical concern: the ongoing cost of storing digital assets. CryptoSlate highlighted the contrast between the sector’s 2021 peak and its current reality. Christie's sold a Beeple NFT for $69.35 million that year, while Sotheby's generated $24.40 million from a sale of 101 Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs. Those transactions gave NFT collections visibility alongside traditional high-value art at major auction houses. Less than five years later, the market is confronting questions about what happens after the initial sale and how digital works remain accessible over time. The shift underscores the difference between paying a premium for an NFT and managing the infrastructure required to preserve the associated content. For NFT-related assets, the comparison offers context on how sharply the market narrative has changed since the speculative surge of 2021.
