MoMA Acquires Eight CryptoPunks for Permanent Collection

The Museum of Modern Art announced it has acquired eight CryptoPunks for its permanent collection, recognizing the pixelated avatars as landmark works of digital art. The acquisition—made public Dec. 20, 2025—places CryptoPunks alongside conventional modern and contemporary works, reflecting growing institutional acceptance of blockchain-native art and its cultural relevance. By adding these pieces to the museum’s holdings, MoMA signals that NFTs can meet the standards of provenance, authorship, and historical significance used by major museums.

Beyond symbolism, the move has practical implications: it elevates public stewardship, conservation dialogue, and curatorial approaches for digital-born works. Institutional custody may also affect market perceptions of early NFT projects, encouraging collectors and other museums to take blockchain art seriously while highlighting challenges around preservation, display formats, and legal frameworks. For artists, curators and collectors, MoMA’s purchase is a clear nudge toward integrating crypto-art into mainstream art history and museum practice.