Historic NFT Timeline

1. 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.
2. 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.”
3. 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
4. 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/
5. 2017: CryptoKitties (November)
   • A viral sensation, allowing users to collect, breed, and trade unique digital cats on the Ethereum blockchain.
   • https://www.cryptokitties.co/
6. 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.
7. 2018: CryptoCelebrities (January)
   • A project allowing users to buy, sell, and trade virtual celebrity cards as NFTs, each with a unique value.
8. 2018: CryptoKaiju (October)
   • A project combining physical collectible toys with digital NFTs, each representing a unique character.
   • https://www.cryptokaiju.io/
9. 2019: Decentraland’s Metaverse (February)
   • Official launch of Decentraland’s virtual world, enabling users to explore, interact, attend events, and create content.
10. 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/

11. 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/

12. 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/

13. 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.

14. 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/

15. 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/

16. 2020: Avastars (February)

• A collection of 25,000 unique, algorithmically generated digital characters that exist as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain.

17. 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/

18. 2020: SuperRare (March)

• A platform for creating, buying, and selling unique, single-edition digital art pieces as NFTs.
• https://superrare.com/

19. 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/

20. 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/

21. 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/

22. 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.

23. 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/

24. 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/

25. 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/

26. 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/

27. 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/

28. 2021: Craniums (August)

• A collection of 5,000 unique, hand-drawn skull-themed NFTs inspired by street art and graffiti.
• https://craniums.art/

29. 2021: Sevens (August)

• A collection of 7,000 unique, hand-drawn NFTs designed to represent the seven virtues and seven sins.
• https://thesevens.co/

30. 2021: Pudgy Penguins (August)

• A collection of 8,888 unique, hand-drawn penguin NFTs, each with distinct features and accessories.
• https://pudgypenguins.io/

31. 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/

32. 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/