NFTs Outpace DeFi in July Surge
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 2:56 am
July has brought an interesting twist to the Web3 landscape—NFTs have overtaken DeFi in terms of active user participation, even as both sectors have experienced significant growth.
DeFi remained strong in terms of capital flow, with the total value locked surging to a record $270 billion, a 30% increase from the previous month. Much of this momentum was driven by tokenized stock platforms gaining popularity among investors.
Meanwhile, NFTs experienced an even bigger boom in user engagement. Trading volumes jumped nearly 96% to around $530 million, and the average sale price more than doubled from $52 to $105. This suggests a shift toward higher-value digital assets, with buyers increasingly prioritising quality over quantity.
In terms of wallet activity, NFTs slightly edged out DeFi, signalling a renewed enthusiasm for creative and collectable use cases. Ethereum-based platforms like Blur and OpenSea led the way, with Blur dominating daily trading volume and OpenSea maintaining the most significant overall user base.
The surge also reflects a broader shift in NFT usage—from being purely speculative assets to becoming tools for digital identity, gaming, tokenized real-world assets, and brand loyalty programs. These new use cases could help NFTs maintain relevance beyond market hype cycles.
For investors and traders, this raises some key questions: Are NFTs poised to lead the next phase of crypto adoption? Could this be the start of a new altcoin season driven by creativity and utility? And how should portfolios be balanced between the composability of DeFi and the cultural momentum of NFTs?
The data suggests both sectors are thriving, but the growth in NFTs may signal a more diversified and utility-focused future for the crypto market. The coming months will reveal whether this shift is temporary—or the beginning of a new era in blockchain engagement.
DeFi remained strong in terms of capital flow, with the total value locked surging to a record $270 billion, a 30% increase from the previous month. Much of this momentum was driven by tokenized stock platforms gaining popularity among investors.
Meanwhile, NFTs experienced an even bigger boom in user engagement. Trading volumes jumped nearly 96% to around $530 million, and the average sale price more than doubled from $52 to $105. This suggests a shift toward higher-value digital assets, with buyers increasingly prioritising quality over quantity.
In terms of wallet activity, NFTs slightly edged out DeFi, signalling a renewed enthusiasm for creative and collectable use cases. Ethereum-based platforms like Blur and OpenSea led the way, with Blur dominating daily trading volume and OpenSea maintaining the most significant overall user base.
The surge also reflects a broader shift in NFT usage—from being purely speculative assets to becoming tools for digital identity, gaming, tokenized real-world assets, and brand loyalty programs. These new use cases could help NFTs maintain relevance beyond market hype cycles.
For investors and traders, this raises some key questions: Are NFTs poised to lead the next phase of crypto adoption? Could this be the start of a new altcoin season driven by creativity and utility? And how should portfolios be balanced between the composability of DeFi and the cultural momentum of NFTs?
The data suggests both sectors are thriving, but the growth in NFTs may signal a more diversified and utility-focused future for the crypto market. The coming months will reveal whether this shift is temporary—or the beginning of a new era in blockchain engagement.