In June 2025, Immutable surpassed Ethereum in monthly NFT trading volume, according to Binance Research and market data platforms. It is the first time that Immutable has recorded more monthly NFT trading volume than Ethereum in 2025, largely owing to soaring participation in gaming-based NFTs and discontent among users over the excessive Ethereum transaction fees. The total volume of NFTs jumped by 7.2 percent in June, whereas Ethereum recorded a huge decline in its NFT volumes.
It demonstrates that the market is slowly recovering due to the bullish run on Bitcoin and other well-developed cryptocurrencies. This growth was driven mainly by chains that feature a heavy focus on gaming, with Immutable, in particular, experiencing a massive influx of NFT volume, whereas more general-purpose NFT applications on Ethereum have decreased greatly.
Why Is Immutable Suddenly Everywhere?
Immutable with its Web3 gaming ecosystem experienced a remarkable growth in terms of NFT volume, mostly due to the launch of Guild of Guardians and the persistence of the trend in the play-to-earn (P2E) market. There are three primary factors for the strategic advantage of Immutable:
- No fee for gas transactions with NFT
- Carbon-neutral infrastructure (through its zkEVM technology)
- Strong focus on Web3 games and established gaming ecosystems.
In the meantime, Ethereum NFTs, such as Azuki or Bored Ape Yacht Club, endured a massive retreat, potentially because of being oversaturated or in need of a price adjustment and the so-called mint fatigue of their owners. Ethereum is still king when it comes to blue-chip art and heirloom collections.
Ethereum vs. Immutable: What’s Changing?
Comparing Ethereum and Immutable, some differences are to be noticed. Ethereum, which long dominated NFTs, levies gas fees of between 3 and 12 dollars per transaction and is mainly used to support general-purpose NFTs in the domains of art, collectibles, and identity. It however has a moderate scalability, though it is green compared to recent upgrades.
Immutable, in turn, offers gas-free transactions, is focused on the Web3 gaming and digital asset niche, and operates on a high-performance zkEVM Layer 2 infrastructure that is carbon-neutral. This shift is indicative of a general trend of migration among designers who look after cheaper and faster chains. On the Bitcoin Ordinals, longer-term similar patterns are unfolding, with inscription-based NFTs rising in popularity, particularly in art and historical property, among the creators interested in cheaper, faster chains.
NFTs on the Rise: Key Trends to Watch This Fall
Here is what to keep an eye on in the next months:
- NFTs that can be played with, and NFT avatars
Games such as Illuvium and Shrapnel are developing NFTs that bear utility across games and platforms. Gamers want assets that do more than just look cool. - Web3 onboarding to corporations
Amazon has been rumored to explore an NFT marketplace, potentially including tokenized rewards and Prime integrations. Starbucks, Nike, and Adidas are also extending their loyalty programs using NFTs. - Metadata decentralization
Increasingly, collectors are requiring that artworks be stored using IPFS or Arweave rather than centralized URLs. Projects that lack decentralized metadata will get increasingly under scrutiny. - The AI-produced NFTs have exploded
The image production of AI-art NFT is thriving due to such tools as Midjourney, DALL·E, and Runway ML. Some collections are exploring generative story-based NFTs, which may require evolving metadata over time.
How to Stand Out in the Evolving NFT Space
We should take a look at the current wave one step at a time, no matter if you are a collector, creator, or crypto-curious starting your journey:
Step 1: Choose the right Chain
- Use Immutable to play and develop games, in-game assets, and scalable projects
- Use Ethereum blue chip or art or brand names
- Make use of long-term historical NFT wagers with Bitcoin Ordinals
Step 2: Install a Multichain Wallet. We recommend:
- Ethereum + L2s MetaMask
- Immutable Passport (Improved gaming log-in)
- Unit (tokens for Bitcoin Ordinals) or Xverse
Step 3: Look Beyond the Hype — Focus on Real Utility
- Provide access to games, apps, or even real-world events with token gates
- Make revenue sharing or staking available
- Have elaborate road maps and decentralized metadata
Learn More
There are more introductory materials you can find to make it easier to understand NFTs, especially if you are new to this concept. There are also websites such as CryptoManiaks that give you fast tips on how to learn the vague concept of NFTs or how to create a wallet, cross-chain mint, and know what royalties are in an NFT ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
The year 2021 was the NFT mania year. 2022-2024 were years of corrections and doubts. However, the middle of 2025 marks the introduction of NFT 2.0: interoperable, utility-based, and chain-agnostic. Immutable X token, or IMX, is not a simple data peak over Ethereum; it is an indicator of a new path in digital ownership, which is scalability, accessibility, and real-world utility.
If you are buying and selling jpegs, creating a brand, or entering your first wallet, now is the time to change direction. Your focus needs to be on the chains that can perform, and that the brightest collectors in 2025 are going to be buying not only art, but access, utility, and future-proof value.
