Polygon Tops Ethereum in Weekly NFT Sales as RWA Collectibles Fuel Surge

Polygon NFTs Outpace Ethereum as RWA Trend Takes Center Stage

Polygon has overtaken Ethereum in weekly NFT sales for the first time in recent memory, powered by a surge in demand for real-world asset (RWA) collectibles. The shift highlights growing interest in tokenized physical assets as the NFT market evolves beyond digital art and profile pictures.

According to CryptoSlam data on April 22, Polygon NFTs recorded $22.3 million in weekly sales, representing a 20% week-over-week increase and 24% of the total NFT market volume, which stood at $92.9 million. This marked the highest sales volume for any blockchain network during the week.

In comparison, Ethereum came in second with $19.2 million, followed by Mythos Chain at $14.3 million, and Bitcoin-based NFTs close behind at $14.1 million.

Top blockchains by seven-day NFT sales volume. Source: CryptoSlam

Polygon also saw a significant jump in user participation, with over 39,000 NFT buyers during the week — an 81% increase from the previous week, signaling rising engagement from collectors and investors.

Courtyard's RWA NFT Marketplace Drives the Boom

Polygon’s sudden rise can largely be attributed to Courtyard, a real-world asset NFT platform that tokenizes graded physical card collections. Courtyard NFTs alone accounted for $20.7 million in sales volume last week, dominating activity on the network and outshining major legacy NFT projects.

Courtyard specializes in minting physical collectibles — such as Pokémon, basketball, and baseball cards — as NFTs. These cards are securely stored in insured vaults managed by a third-party security company, ensuring that every NFT is fully backed by a tangible item.

Buyers of Courtyard NFTs can redeem the physical card at any time, at which point the corresponding NFT is permanently burned and removed from the marketplace. This mechanism reinforces the uniqueness and scarcity of each token, creating a new dimension of trust and utility in NFT ownership.

Courtyard NFT collection tops digital collectible sales volume list. Source: CryptoSlam

RWA NFTs: A Growing Trend in 2025

The rise of Courtyard underscores the broader momentum behind on-chain real-world assets (RWAs) — a key theme in early 2025. RWA tokenization involves minting real-world items, such as art, collectibles, property, or stocks, onto the blockchain, expanding access, liquidity, and ownership possibilities.

According to RWA.xyz, the total value of tokenized RWAs reached $21.2 billion in Q1 2025, with over 97,000 unique asset holders. These figures exclude stablecoins, which already dominate the digital asset space with a market value exceeding $227 billion.

Conclusion

Polygon’s climb to the top of the NFT charts highlights a significant shift in the landscape, where utility, physical backing, and real-world value are driving the next phase of NFT adoption. As tokenization of tangible assets gains momentum, platforms like Courtyard may play a pivotal role in reshaping how collectors interact with blockchain-based ownership — bridging the gap between physical and digital in unprecedented ways.