So everyone's asking are NFTs dead? The numbers tell a different story if you actually look. Yeah, monthly sales have cooled from that crazy $1B peak back in 2021-22, but we're still sitting around $300M in the past month. That's not exactly nothing.

I've been paying attention to what Yat Siu from Animoca Brands has been saying about this, and honestly his take makes sense. He's pointing out that wealthy collectors are still actively building in this space. These aren't the flip-traders from the peak—they're people treating NFTs like actual collectibles. Think about it like how serious collectors treat Picassos or rare Ferraris. You've got your community, your club, your peers who get it.

Siu himself admits his own NFT portfolio is down significantly, but here's the key thing he emphasizes: these were never meant to be quick flips. Long-term holds. That's a completely different mentality from the speculation frenzy we saw a few years back.

The whole NFT Paris cancellation drama? That's not really about NFTs being dead either. Siu's pretty clear on this—it's about France turning anti-crypto. The country used to be pro-blockchain, now they're swinging hard the other way. Add in the security concerns with kidnappings of crypto figures in that region, and you get why people are hesitant to show up.

So are NFTs dead? Nah. The market's matured, the speculation bubble popped, but the infrastructure and the serious collectors are still here. It's just way less hype, way more substance. And honestly, that's probably healthier long-term.