**NFT Market Recap for December 2025: Trading Slumps but Utility Grows**

The NFT (non-fungible token) market saw a major drop in December 2025, continuing its downward trend from earlier in the year. Total NFT trading volume reached just over $300 million in the past 30 days—a steep 60% drop compared to November. The overall market cap also fell significantly from its peak in January 2025.

This decline isn’t just about falling prices or hype fading. Many experts see it as a natural shift toward a more mature NFT space. Instead of chasing quick profits, more projects and users are focusing on real-world utility, such as NFTs for gaming, real estate, and event tickets.

### Fewer Active Buyers and Sellers

The number of unique people buying and selling NFTs has been dropping steadily throughout 2025. In December, the number of unique sellers fell below 100,000 for the first time. This trend suggests that casual users and speculators may be exiting the market.

### Top Blockchain Platforms by NFT Sales

1. **Ethereum** – Still the leader in NFT trading, Ethereum-based NFTs brought in $97 million in sales in December. However, that’s a 54% drop from the previous month.
2. **Bitcoin** – Thanks to Ordinals, Runes, and BRC-20 tokens, Bitcoin became the second most active blockchain for NFTs, generating $58 million in sales—a 51% increase from the previous week.
3. **BNB Chain** – Backed by Binance, BNB Chain recorded $36 million in NFT sales, but that’s down 74% from November.
4. **Mythos Chain** – Known for gaming-related NFTs, this blockchain saw $24 million in sales, down 21%.
5. **Polygon** – Often used for cheaper transactions, Polygon-based NFTs made $19 million in sales—a big 78% drop.

### Top-Selling NFT Collections in December

1. **$X@AI (Bitcoin)** – This BRC-20 NFT collection led the month with $24 million in sales—a massive jump of over 1,000%.
2. **DMarket (Mythos Chain)** – Focused on virtual gaming items from games like Counter-Strike and Dota 2, this collection made $23 million, down 21%.
3. **Courtyard (Polygon)** – Featuring generative digital collectibles, Courtyard NFTs pulled in $14 million, up 29%.
4. **Yes Bond (BNB Chain)** – A new player on the BNB Chain raised $9 million in sales, increasing by 430%.
5. **CryptoPunks (Ethereum)** – These iconic pixelated characters brought in $8.4 million but saw a 20% decline in sales.
6. **Guild of Guardians Heroes (Immutable X)** – Based on a fantasy role-playing mobile game, GoG NFTs earned $8 million, down 38%.
7. **Pudgy Penguins (Ethereum)** – This well-known collection of penguin NFTs brought in $7 million, falling 43%.
8. **$?? (Bitcoin)** – Another Bitcoin-based BRC-20 collection earned $6.6 million with a 14% increase from last month.
9. **Panini America (Private Blockchain)** – Featuring digital sports trading cards (NFL, NBA, UFC), this collection raised $6.3 million—up 51%.
10. **Milady Maker (Ethereum)** – Known for its anime-inspired style, Milady Maker closed out the top ten with $6.6 million in sales.

### What’s Next for NFTs?

As we head into January 2026, the global NFT market is expected to keep moving away from hype and toward real-world applications. While many traders remain cautious about certain projects, industry watchers are optimistic about growth fueled by better regulation, AI integration, gaming expansion, and institutional involvement.

NFTs are becoming more than just digital collectibles—they’re turning into tools with actual use cases. From ticketing systems to virtual game assets, the future of NFTs looks more practical and purpose-driven.