NFT Market Heats Up: $173M Trading Week Signals Renewed Buyer Interest Across Chains

The NFT sector is catching momentum again. According to CryptoSlam data from mid-August, weekly NFT trading volume climbed 30% to $173.2 million—a notable jump that comes alongside explosive growth in market participation. The real story, however, lies in who’s trading: buyer numbers skyrocketed 190.41% to reach 214,716, while seller activity jumped 168.71% to hit 115,289 participants.

Participation Surge Outpaces Transaction Growth

While the number of individual trades dipped 10.65% to 1,553,949, the dramatic increase in active buyers and sellers suggests larger-ticket deals are dominating current activity. This shift indicates whales and serious collectors are driving the momentum, even as casual trading activity remains subdued.

Ethereum Leads the Recovery, Solana Follows

Different blockchains told different stories over the week. Ethereum network saw the most impressive surge, with $105.4 million in NFT volume—an 85% jump from the prior week. This reaffirmed Ethereum’s dominance in the premium NFT space.

BNB Chain posted solid gains with $18.1 million in volume, up 33.48%. Solana network recorded $8.9 million, climbing 10.14% week-over-week. Meanwhile, Polygon and Mythos Chain both retreated, recording $11.5 million (down 35.51%) and $9.3 million (down 3.52%) respectively.

Blue-Chip Collections Drive the High End

Flagship collections continued to define the market’s premium tier. Bored Ape Yacht Club dominated this week’s high-value segment with five major transactions:

• BAYC #4795 traded hands for 200 ETH ($909,183)
• BAYC #2337 sold for 140 ETH ($634,809)
• BAYC #9670 exchanged for 140 ETH ($633,982)
• BAYC #7706 fetched 140 ETH ($633,982)
• BAYC #9670 resold for 100 ETH ($453,435)

These transactions underscore persistent demand for established NFT assets, even amid market volatility. The NFT landscape continues to evolve, with participation metrics now rivaling peak trading periods.