Courtyard Collection Pushes Polygon Past Ethereum
One collection contributed 93% of volume, raising questions about sustainability in $92.9 million weekly market
Polygon-based NFTs have dethroned Ethereum for the first time, claiming the top spot in global sales with a staggering $22.3 million weekly volume compared to Ethereum's $19.2 million.
The Courtyard NFT collection — which tokenises physical collectibles like Pokémon and baseball cards — contributed $20.7 million to Polygon's total. That's 93% of all Polygon NFT activity coming from one source.
What makes Courtyard different?
Unlike purely digital NFTs, these tokens represent graded, vault-stored collectibles that buyers can actually redeem. It's a hybrid model that seems to be striking a chord with collectors wary of purely digital assets.
With Courtyard's sales representing 11.39% of all NFT transactions in a 24-hour period, the message is clear — collectors want something they can touch (at least theoretically).
The impact extends beyond sales figures.
Polygon's active buyers surged 81% (39,000 buyers)
Real-World Asset market now worth $21.2 billion (excluding $227 billion in stablecoins)
NFT trading volumes still 60% below their 2021 peak
Courtyard's meteoric rise helped by Y Combinator backing ($7 million funding)
Is this sustainable?
Polygon's sudden NFT dominance rests precariously on a single collection. Without Courtyard, the blockchain would have processed just $1.6 million in NFT sales — barely 8% of the Ethereum figure.
Yet the trend toward RWA tokenisation is undeniable. The sector has grown about 300x since February 2023, reaching a $42 billion market cap.
What's Next for NFTs?
The implications stretch far beyond just Polygon's momentary triumph.
Reduced reliance on speculative digital art could attract traditional investors
Ethereum may be forced to innovate to reclaim its crown
Physical-digital hybrid models lower entry barriers for non-crypto users
Is this the beginning of a sustained RWA-led revival, or merely a temporary shift in the ever-volatile world of digital collectibles?
What's certain is that giving pixels a physical anchor changes the conversation.
NFTs with nothing behind them were always going to struggle with mainstream adoption. Perhaps the future isn't purely digital after all — it's hybrid.
For now, Polygon reigns supreme — but in crypto, tomorrow always brings new surprises.