The nonfungible token (NFT) lending market has seen impressive growth recently, with the current amount of NFT borrowing and lending surpassing $430 million across 43,521 borrowers. A report by Paraspace and BitKeep attributes this surge to the blue-chip collaterals, such as Wrapped CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and Mutant Ape Yacht Club, which help to stabilize the loans. The highest proportion of collaterals is comprised of the most popular NFT collections.
However, both researchers at Paraspace and BitKeep warn that liquidity concerns remain a constant theme within the sector. The lack of liquidity in NFT trading is mainly caused by limited user numbers, difficulties in pricing, and high NFT prices. They explain that the top 10 NFTs experience a certain level of liquidity with little fluctuation between projects, while other NFTs are often sold at discounts.
Paraspace NFT developers have stated that despite accumulating over $280 million worth of NFT loans, the protocol has just 16 NFT liquidations and no bad debt since its inception last year. This accomplishment is mainly due to rules allowing only the most-established and highly liquid, or blue-chip, NFTs to be pledged as collateral. However, the entry threshold for blue-chip NFTs is quite high, with an average price range between $11,000 and $120,000.
Although this approach has been successful in reducing risks, NFTs remain a new market that lacks historical data and universally recognized valuation analysis methods. As a result, pricing difficulties may arise, leading to large price variances even within the same NFT series.
High-quality NFTs often have a strong community consensus, team background, and distinctive artistic styles. However, as the barriers for ordinary users to participate in blue-chip or popular NFTs continue to increase, alternative solutions have emerged. For example, NFT fractionalization, NFT staking, and the rise of NFT liquidity platforms seek to address this issue and provide easier access to the market for users.
In conclusion, blue-chip collaterals have played a significant role in stabilizing the growing NFT lending market. However, liquidity concerns and pricing difficulties illustrate the need for further development of this emerging market. As innovative solutions are introduced, the NFT lending sector has the potential to continue its expansion and provide accessible opportunities for both experienced and new market participants.
Source: Cointelegraph
