I just stumbled upon a thought that won't let me go: How crazy is it that digital artworks today change hands for over $90 million? The most expensive NFT ever sold is Pak's The Merge – $91.8 million, December 2021. But here's where it gets interesting: it wasn't a single collector, but nearly 29,000 people sharing the artwork. Each bought units for $575, and together they created this monumental price.

What fascinates me about this story is the concept behind it. The Merge doesn't work like a traditional NFT. The more units you buy, the larger your share of the work becomes. That's innovative and partly explains why it became the most expensive NFT sale of all time. Pak, the anonymous artist behind it, created a model with Nifty Gateway that has turned the art world upside down.

But Pak isn't the only one breaking records. Beeple – or Michael Winkelmann – also holds several milestones. His Everydays: The First 5000 Days sold at Christie's for $69 million. That was in 2021, and it was an absolute shock to the traditional art world. A digital artwork auctioned at Christie's? The starting bid was a mere $100. The explosion came from Beeple's reputation and community support.

What’s fascinating about this collage: Beeple created a digital artwork every day for 5000 days. It’s not just a picture – it’s a lifetime achievement in digital form. And it was paid in cryptocurrency: 42,329 Ether. The buyer, MetaKovan, is a Singapore-based programmer who made a statement: NFTs are a genuine art form.

Also worth mentioning is The Clock by Pak. $52.7 million, February 2022. But this piece is politically charged – a timer counting the days of Julian Assange’s detention, updating daily. AssangeDAO, a group of over 100,000 supporters, bought it to advocate for Assange’s release. This shows: the most expensive NFTs are not just speculative objects but can also contribute to activism and social change.

Then there’s Human One, also by Beeple. $29 million at Christie's. It’s a physical kinetic sculpture with a 16K display that constantly changes. Beeple can update the artwork remotely – it’s alive, dynamic. That’s the future: physics meets digital technology.

Now, about CryptoPunks. This series is legendary because it started in 2017 – basically the pioneers of the NFT market. CryptoPunk #5822, an alien with blue skin, sold for $23 million. Out of 10,000 Punks, only nine are aliens. Deepak.eth, CEO of Chain, snapped up this rare piece. Since then, more CryptoPunks have climbed the top list: #7804 für 16,42 Millionen, #3100 for $16.03 million. The rarity of these Punks – combined with their historical significance – makes them valuable collectibles.

Another project worth noting: TPunk #3442. Justin Sun, CEO of Tron, bought it in 2021 for 120 million TRX – roughly $10.5 million. The artwork is called "The Joker" because it resembles a Batman villain. Interestingly, the original cost to produce these TPunks was extremely low: 1,000 TRX per NFT, about $123. Then Justin Sun came along, and the market exploded.

XCOPY, an anonymous artist known for dark, death-inspired works, sold Right-click and Save As Guy for $7 million. The buyer was Cozomo de' Medici, one of the most respected collectors in the scene. The NFT is a meta-statement: it’s called that because many believe NFTs can be downloaded with a right-click. The artwork was originally sold for 1 ETH – about $90 at the time.

Dmitri Cherniak’s Ringers #109 sold for $6.93 million. These generative artworks on Art Blocks are minimalist – strings and nails – but extremely valuable. Even the cheapest Ringers today cost around $88,000.

Beeple’s Crossroad rounds out the top 15: $6.6 million in February 2021. At that time, it was the record for the highest-ever paid NFT. The piece is a 10-second film created as a reaction to the 2020 US presidential election. Depending on who wins, the film shows different endings. A political artwork documenting history.

What all these most expensive NFTs have in common: they tell stories. Whether about scarcity, innovation, political activism, or artistic genius – each of these works represents a moment in the digital art revolution. The market capitalization for NFTs is currently estimated at around $2.6 billion, with established collections like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club still dominating the top.

The NFT market is volatile, and not every artwork will be profitable. According to analyses, about 95 percent of NFTs are practically worthless. But the top works? They retain their significance. When you look at projects on Gate.io or other platforms today, it’s clear: the market for digital assets has fundamentally changed. Artists like Pak and Beeple have proven that digital art has a real place in the world – and yes, these most expensive NFTs in history are not just speculative objects but milestones of a new art form.