- 2012-2013: Colored Coins
- Early attempt at creating unique tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain, allowing users to associate a small amount of metadata with a Bitcoin transaction.
- 2015: Counterparty
- A platform built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, enabling users to create and trade custom tokens, including NFT-like assets called “rare pepes.”
- 2017: CryptoPunks (June)
- One of the first true NFT projects, featuring 10,000 unique, algorithmically generated 8-bit character images.
- https://www.larvalabs.com/cryptopunks
- 2017: Decentraland (August)
- A decentralized virtual world built on Ethereum, allowing users to purchase and trade parcels of virtual land as NFTs called LAND tokens.
- https://decentraland.org/
- 2017: CryptoKitties (November)
- A viral sensation, allowing users to collect, breed, and trade unique digital cats on the Ethereum blockchain.
- https://www.cryptokitties.co/
- 2018: ERC-721 Standard (June)
- A standardized framework for creating and managing unique tokens on the Ethereum blockchain, paving the way for many NFT projects.
- 2018: CryptoCelebrities (January)
- A project allowing users to buy, sell, and trade virtual celebrity cards as NFTs, each with a unique value.
- 2018: CryptoKaiju (October)
- A project combining physical collectible toys with digital NFTs, each representing a unique character.
- https://www.cryptokaiju.io/
- 2019: Decentraland’s Metaverse (February)
- Official launch of Decentraland’s virtual world, enabling users to explore, interact, attend events, and create content.
- 2019: Gods Unchained (October)
- A digital trading card game built on the Ethereum blockchain, allowing users to collect and trade NFT cards.
- https://godsunchained.com/
- 2019: NBA Top Shot (June)
- A collaboration between Dapper Labs and the NBA, allowing users to collect, trade, and sell officially licensed NBA collectibles as NFTs called “moments.”
- https://www.nbatopshot.com/
- 2020: Rarible (February)
- An NFT marketplace allowing users to create, buy, and sell NFTs, including digital art, music, and other digital collectibles.
- https://rarible.com/
- 2020: DeFi x NFTs (Summer)
- The intersection of decentralized finance and NFT sectors, with projects like Aavegotchi and Armor offering NFTs as collateral, insurance policies, or reward tokens.
- 2020: Sorare (February)
- A global fantasy football game allowing users to collect and trade officially licensed digital football player cards as NFTs.
- https://sorare.com/
- 2020: Async Art (February)
- A platform for creating and trading programmable art, allowing artists to create “layers” that buyers can modify to create unique digital art pieces.
- https://async.art/
- 2020: Avastars (February)
- A collection of 25,000 unique, algorithmically generated digital characters that exist as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.
- 2020: Axie Infinity (March)
- A Pokémon-inspired game where users can collect, breed, and battle creatures called “Axies” as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.
- https://axieinfinity.com/
- 2020: SuperRare (March)
- A platform for creating, buying, and selling unique, single-edition digital art pieces as NFTs.
- https://superrare.com/
- 2020: Foundation (April)
- A platform for digital artists and creators to mint, sell, and trade NFTs, while also supporting crypto-native projects.
- https://foundation.app/
- 2020: Meebits (May)
- A collection of 20,000 unique 3D voxel characters by Larva Labs (the creators of CryptoPunks) that exist as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.
- https://meebits.larvalabs.com/
- 2020: Nifty Gateway (November)
- A platform for creating, buying, and selling NFTs, partnering with popular artists, musicians, and brands to release limited edition digital collectibles.
- https://niftygateway.com/
- 2021: Beeple’s $69 Million NFT Sale (March)
- The historic auction of digital artist Beeple’s artwork “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” at Christie’s, marking a watershed moment for NFTs in the mainstream art world.
- 2021: World of Women (March)
- A collection of 10,000 digital art NFTs representing women from various backgrounds and cultures, aiming to empower and uplift female creators.
- https://worldofwomen.art/
- 2021: Bored Ape Yacht Club (April)
- A collection of 10,000 unique hand-drawn ape NFTs that also grants membership benefits to holders, such as access to exclusive events and digital experiences.
- https://boredapeyachtclub.com/
- 2021: Gutter Cat Gang (May)
- A collection of 3,000 unique, hand-drawn cat NFTs with various traits and backgrounds, living in a fictional city called “Gutter City.”
- https://guttercatgang.com/
- 2021: Skullz (October)
- A collection of 10,000 unique, hand-drawn skull-themed NFTs that can be bought, sold, and traded on the Ethereum blockchain.
- https://skullz.art/
- 2021: Rumble Kong League (July)
- A collection of 10,000 unique, hand-drawn Kong NFTs that can be used to participate in virtual basketball competitions.
- https://rumblekongs.com/
- 2021: Craniums (August)
- A collection of 5,000 unique, hand-drawn skull-themed NFTs inspired by street art and graffiti.
- https://craniums.art/
- 2021: Sevens (August)
- A collection of 7,000 unique, hand-drawn NFTs designed to represent the seven virtues and seven sins.
- https://thesevens.co/
- 2021: Pudgy Penguins (August)
- A collection of 8,888 unique, hand-drawn penguin NFTs, each with distinct features and accessories.
- https://pudgypenguins.io/
- 2021: Mutant Ape Yacht Club (August)
- A spin-off of the Bored Ape Yacht Club, featuring 20,000 unique mutant ape NFTs and offering similar membership benefits as the original project.
- https://mutantapeyachtclub.com/
- 2021: Loot (August)
- An NFT project consisting of 8,000 unique bags containing text-based items, such as weapons and armor, which can be used to create an open-source fantasy game.
- https://lootproject.com/