Christie’s is folding its dedicated digital art department into its broader 20th & 21st century art division while continuing NFT sales; the move responds to weaker secondary-market returns and a contracting global art market, but Christie’s will still auction NFTs under a larger category.
Christie’s merges digital art into broader auction category
Decision follows reduced art-market sales and internal restructuring; some digital art staff retained.
Global art sales fell 12% in 2024; auction sales declined 20% per Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2025.
Christie’s digital art department merges into 20th & 21st-century category — learn why this matters for NFTs and collectors. Read the latest analysis from COINOTAG.
What is happening to Christie’s digital art department?
Christie’s digital art department is being closed as a standalone unit and absorbed into the auction house’s 20th and 21st-century art category. The house will continue to offer NFTs and digital art at auction, but the structural change reflects lower secondary-market revenues and a strategic consolidation.
Why is Christie’s restructuring its NFT operations?
Christie’s cited a “strategic decision” tied to market conditions. The broader art market contracted in 2024, with global sales down 12% to $57 billion and combined auction sales down about 20%, according to the Art Basel & UBS Art Market Report 2025. Auction houses are reassessing departments that underperform on revenue.
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Insiders reported layoffs affecting some digital art roles, including one vice president position. At least one digital art specialist remains on staff, indicating Christie’s intends to retain expertise while reducing departmental overhead.
Digital artist Laura El sold one of her digital artworks, known as Lonely Island at Christie’s in 2023. Source: Laura El
How could market trends have influenced this decision?
Front-loaded data shows a clear contraction: total global art sales declined and auction revenue fell sharply. For auction houses, secondary-market digital art often yields lower and less-predictable returns than established physical works.
Advisers in the field note that auction-house models — with commissions of 25–30% — may not align with the digital market, where online platforms can operate with much lower fees. That fee mismatch likely pressured Christie’s to rethink a standalone digital unit.
What have collectors and insiders said?
Some collectors argue demand for digital art remains intact and that the structural costs and commission models — not market interest — are the issue. Others see the change as a sign auctions will focus more on primary-market cultivation for digital artists rather than relying on secondary sales alone.
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The restructuring was reported in early September 2025. Reports indicate at least two staff departures tied to the shift, including the vice president for digital art, while at least one specialist remains employed to manage ongoing NFT sales.
The NFT market experienced a difficult 2024 but showed recovery signs in 2025. In August 2025 the sector’s market cap surged above $9.3 billion (a 40% increase month-over-month), though recent weeks show cooling with a market cap reported near $5.97 billion and modest 24-hour gains.