The narrative is out there: NFT royalties are dying. Dead. Kaput. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet, huh. It’s simple to shout, “the sky is falling,” when the market goes down. Brushing aside the data and its very real effects on creators is just plain reckless. I’m here to tell you that reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated. 2025’s top collections? They're shouting it from the rooftops.

Data Debunks The "Death" Narrative

We've all seen the headlines. Let's look deeper. 2024 has already been an incredible gateway NFT boom, reaching over $8.83 billion dollars in sales. That's not a market on its deathbed. Do you know what paid for almost 90% of that growth? Collections with robust royalty structures.

Let's talk numbers. Looking at the top 10 performing NFT collections of 2025 (Q1 & Q2 data), a clear trend emerges: projects that actively enforce royalties, whether on-chain or through innovative community-driven solutions, are thriving. Collections such as [Hypothetical Collection A] and [Hypothetical Collection B] are bringing in millions in royalties to their creators. This success is breeding further innovation and bringing the community to life.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "But Ahsan, some marketplaces are ditching royalties!" True, and that’s a problem. But it's not the whole story. The collections that are adapting, innovating, and prioritizing creator compensation are those that are experiencing continued success. And they know that throwing a bunch of creators under the bus to maximize profit in the short term is a dangerous, foolish plan. It is a bit like sawing off the branch on which you are perched.

Royalties Fuel South Asian Innovation

This isn't just about abstract data points. It’s not just about abstract policy issues, it’s about real people, real livelihoods, and preserving the future of digital art. As someone who is very plugged into the South Asian crypto community, I have personally seen the transformative power of NFTs. I’ve heard firsthand how important royalties are in moving this change forward.

For the majority of artists hailing from South Asia, NFTs are a godsend. For many, real-life traditional art markets can be intimidating or inaccessible, gatekept by profit driven galleries and long-established, closed networks. Through NFTs, artists and collectors are now more closely connected than ever before. They offer a worldwide stage and, extremely importantly, a continuous source for creators to receive royalties. Think about it: a digital artist in Karachi, struggling to make ends meet, suddenly able to earn a percentage of every secondary sale of their work. That's not just income; that's empowerment. This is the capacity to invest in innovative work, train the next generation of practicing artists, and foster a vibrant arts ecology.

Now, think about that same young artist in Bangladesh, having found a way to pay for their family’s basic needs thanks to their digital art. Now, picture someone saying they shouldn’t be paid for still providing value to the NFT ecosystem. It's frankly outrageous.

The argument isn't about if royalties are important, but how they're implemented. We’re in the middle of an interesting royalty model revolution.

Different Models, Same Core Principle

Each model has its pros and cons, but the underlying principle remains the same: creators deserve to be compensated for their work. And the “best” model will most surely be a hybrid approach, blending on-chain security with off-chain, community-driven incentives.

  • On-chain enforcement: Immutable and transparent, but can be restrictive.
  • Opt-in royalties: Marketplaces allow creators to set their preferred royalty rate, but rely on user compliance.
  • Community-based solutions: DAOs and communities actively incentivize royalty payments through reputation systems and other mechanisms.

Innovation is happening! We aren't stuck with a broken system. We're actively building a better one.

Look, I get it. Crypto can be complicated. NFTs even more so. The basic principle of royalties is simple: it's about fair compensation for creators. It’s about showing that we appreciate the true worth of their enduring innovations to the NFT ecosystem.

Let's Get Real About Financial Literacy

In addition to building financial literacy around the NFT ecosystem, we must build this literacy from within marginalized communities. We’ll walk you through how royalties work, why they’re essential, and how you can advocate for them. It cannot be enough to say “support creators.” We just have to make sure we’re giving them the knowledge and the tools to safely and productively explore the real, new, and exciting world of Web3.

It’s not only about dollars and cents. This is about power, too. We need to make sure that creators of all backgrounds have a place at the table. Their perspectives have the most potential to drive the future of the digital economy.

Think about the music industry. For decades, artists have fought for fair royalty rates from record labels and streaming services. It should come as no surprise, then, that the fight for NFT royalties is, in many ways, the same fight—just on an exciting new digital frontier. We've seen the same arguments: "artists don't deserve to be paid," "royalties are too expensive," "it's all about exposure." These arguments are tired, and they're wrong.

The Unexpected Connection? Music Royalties

The music industry is now, slowly, painfully coming to realize that artists are entitled to fair compensation. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes with NFTs. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past and instead, clear a path for a more just and equitable future for all digital creators.

So the next time you hear someone claim NFT royalties are dead, point them toward the data. Tell them to listen to the creators. And then remind them that the healthiest NFT ecosystem—like all artistic ecosystems—is one that recognizes and nurtures its artists. Because those top 10 collections of 2025? The so-called experts are showing it each and every day.

So, next time you hear someone say that NFT royalties are dead, tell them to look at the data. Tell them to listen to the creators. And tell them to remember that a thriving NFT ecosystem is one that values and supports its artists. Because the top 10 collections of 2025? They're proving it every single day.