The world-renowned auction house Christie’s has decided to shut down its dedicated department for digital art and NFTs. According to CoinDesk and Artnet News, this department—established in 2022—played a key role in bringing NFT works and digital art into the auction space. (Artlyst, Artnet News)

As part of the closure, two employees from the department were laid off; however, one digital art specialist based in New York will remain in position. A Christie’s spokesperson told CoinDesk that digital art sales will now be integrated into the broader “20th- and 21st-century art” categories rather than handled separately. (CoinDesk)

This decision further underscores signals of stagnation in the NFT market: NFT trading volume fell by 45% in the last quarter, CoinDesk reports. Christie’s is making a strategic shift by treating digital art not as a separate category, but as part of its broader art sales.