The NFT collection CryptoPunks recorded a weekly trading volume of over $24.6 million, marking the highest figure in the past 16 months. This represents a 416% increase compared to the previous week and is the largest since March 2024.
This is reported by Finway
Market Activation Following a Major Acquisition
A significant surge in trading activity was triggered by the acquisition of NFT CryptoPunk #5577 by GameSquare, a company listed on Nasdaq. For this transaction, the company issued preferred shares worth $5.15 million. It is worth noting that #5577 belongs to the rare “Ape Punks” category, of which there are only 24 in the collection.
At the same time, the price of NFTs also rose: the minimum price on marketplaces increased from 40 ETH to 47.5 ETH, while the average sale price of a CryptoPunk rose from $140,000 to $182,000.
GameSquare is the parent company of FaZe Clan, a well-known gaming organization. This marks the first instance of a public company acquiring an NFT using equity capital.
The article emphasized that this approach may signal to large investors, funds, and crypto holders that top-tier NFTs (blue-chip NFTs) are becoming legitimate assets for corporate treasuries. This, in turn, has stimulated demand for other tokens in the collection.
Legal Developments and Record Sales
The analytical review notes that GameSquare views CryptoPunk as a revenue-generating asset and includes it on its balance sheet, highlighting the growing trust in NFTs among the corporate sector.
The revival of trading occurs against the backdrop of a substantial increase in the capitalization of the NFT sector, which recently surpassed $6.37 billion — a new record since February 2024.
Other notable transactions include the sale in August 2024 by Chain CEO Deepak Thapliyal of the most expensive NFT from the CryptoPunks collection — #5822, although details regarding the transaction amount and buyer remain unknown. In February 2022, this asset was valued at nearly $24 million. In October 2024, another NFT from the same collection was sold for 24,000 ETH (which then exceeded $56 million), although analysts suspect the use of instant loans for the marketing campaign of the meme coin Kamala Harris Punk.
A significant event for the market was also the U.S. court ruling on July 24, 2025, which for the first time recognized that NFTs can be considered trademarks protected under the Lanham Act. This creates a new legal precedent that could enhance the status of NFTs in the strategies of major companies.