NFT Market Rebounds: 18.1M Q3 Sales Led by OpenSea, Sorare
The NFT market staged a strong comeback in 2025, with transaction counts climbing from 7 million in Q1 to 18.1 million in Q3, according to DappRadar. Despite average prices remaining subdued, total trading volume reached $1.6 billion in Q3, while unique wallets rose from 1.66 million to 2.14 million, indicating existing traders are trading more frequently. Gaming NFTs saw a 17% drop in volume and a 32% decline in transactions, whereas sports NFTs surged 337% in volume to $71 million and 143% in sales to 4.1 million, driven by Sorare. OpenSea’s pre-token-launch campaign boosted its Q3 sales by 29% to 9.27 million assets. Blue-chip PFP collections such as CryptoPunks, BAYC, Moonbirds and Pudgy Penguins regained momentum, pushing PFP volume up 187% to $544 million. Yuga Labs focused on BAYC, MAYC and Otherside, while Moonbirds achieved 8,311 sales worth $88 million ahead of its BIRB token launch on Solana.
Bullish
This record surge in NFT transactions — led by OpenSea and Sorare — reflects increased trader engagement and market confidence, characteristics often preceding bullish cycles, as during the 2021 NFT boom. In the short term, heightened activity may lift NFT-related tokens and marketplace tokens such as Rarible’s RARE and anticipated OpenSea token, while in the long run, sustained trading volumes could enhance liquidity and adoption across the crypto ecosystem. Nevertheless, the decline in gaming NFTs highlights potential sector-specific risks that traders should monitor.