The NFT market is freezing over — again. Trading activity plunged 9.22% to $85.3 million, with both buyers and sellers down over 95%, according to CryptoSlam. While smaller collections struggle, CryptoPunks trades continue to dominate, widening the gap between “blue-chip” NFTs and everyone else.
After a brief October rebound, NFTs have slipped back into correction mode. Data from CryptoSlam shows a sharp drop in global NFT volume — a clear sign of fading engagement and shrinking liquidity.
Even as speculative traders retreat, select CryptoPunks continue to fetch premium bids — showing that institutional and long-term holders still trust the sector’s elite assets.
The industry’s biggest names have gone quiet. No public comments from CryptoSlam, Yuga Labs (behind Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks), or top blockchain players like Ethereum, BNB Chain, or Polygon.
As of November 9, the market slump remains officially unaddressed — leaving investors guessing.
Even regulators like the SEC and CFTC have stayed silent, adding to uncertainty about NFT classification and royalties.
The slowdown appears network-driven. Ethereum’s gas fee volatility and Layer-2 liquidity fragmentation continue to hurt NFT trading. Meanwhile, Base, despite its early hype as Coinbase’s NFT hub, has seen volume collapse 27% in a single week.
Analysts suggest traders may be shifting focus toward:
Rising gas fees and minting fatigue are further cooling activity.
This isn’t a crash — it’s a recalibration. Speculation is fading, but innovation may yet return.
Some analysts argue that the current “NFT winter” could be healthy — purging hype and resetting valuations for the next cycle.
The focus may now shift to:
But for now, the silence is deafening. Without leadership or a fresh use case, NFTs risk fading from the mainstream spotlight — at least until the next big narrative lands.
The NFT hype cycle has cooled. Blue chips survive. Everyone else is left in the cold.
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