Christie’s, the British auction house, is adjusting how it handles auctions related to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), according to a September 8 report by Now Media.
Instead of managing these sales through a dedicated department, the company will include digital artworks in its 20th and 21st-century art category.
Although Christie’s will still offer NFTs at auction, the change means they will be grouped with more traditional forms of modern art, rather than being treated as a standalone category.
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Alongside the reshuffle, two staff members, including the vice president of digital art, have been let go. One specialist focused on digital work is expected to stay on.
Christie’s had been involved in the NFT industry since its early boom. Its most well-known digital sale was Everydays: The First 5000 Days by artist Beeple, which fetched $69.3 million in March 2021.
However, according to the 2025 Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report, released in April, total global art sales dropped to $57 billion in 2024.
Digital art adviser and collector Fanny Lakoubay stated in a post on X that it is challenging for auction houses to maintain entire departments that generate less revenue than others.
Lakoubay also said that auction houses resell works from artists who already have recognition. Since digital art is still establishing its presence, she noted that this model is not yet a perfect fit.
Recently, Lloyds Auctions announced the sale of more than 280 Bitcoin
