Monkey NFT Crash: How Justin Bieber's Digital Asset Lost 95% of Its Value

OnChainDetective · 2026-01-04T18:46:10+00:00

Justin Bieber's significant loss on his Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT symbolizes the broader decline in the NFT market, with prices plummeting approximately 72% over the past year. This trend reflects a loss of interest in blue-chip digital collectibles among celebrities and collectors alike.

OnChainDetective

2026-01-04 18:46:10

Abstract generation in progress

The NFT market’s brutal downturn has claimed another high-profile victim. Celebrity investor Justin Bieber’s Bored Ape Yacht Club monkey NFT, originally acquired for 500 ETH (approximately $1.3 million) in early 2022, now trades at just 29.5 WETH—a devastating collapse to roughly $59,000. This represents a staggering $1.2 million loss on the single digital collectible.

The Broader Monkey NFT Market Deterioration

BAYC holdings have experienced consistent erosion across the entire portfolio. Twelve months prior, floor prices hovered around 97 ETH (valued near $1.16 million at the time), but have since cratered to approximately 27 ETH (~$52,650). This 72% price compression reflects the cryptocurrency community’s wholesale retreat from premium digital art collectibles.

The Canadian artist’s verified NFT wallet currently houses an extensive collection of 2,023 non-fungible tokens spanning multiple projects. His Twitter profile continues to feature the inBetweeners #3777 piece, though the broader market appetite for such assets has dramatically diminished since the 2022 bull-run euphoria.

Celebrity Casualties Beyond Bieber

Bieber is far from alone in experiencing significant NFT losses. Grammy-winning rapper Eminem ventured into the BAYC space, acquiring a monkey NFT for 123.45 ETH—representing over $450,000 at purchase prices. These comparable losses among A-list figures underscore how speculative positioning in digital collectibles has unwound across the board.

The cautionary tales extend further: collector Brandon Riley’s accidental burning of CryptoPunk #685 destroyed approximately $129,000 in value, demonstrating the permanence of mistakes in blockchain-based asset ownership.

What the Numbers Reveal

The consistent pressure on blue-chip NFT collections suggests institutional and celebrity enthusiasm has evaporated. What was marketed as revolutionary digital ownership has instead become a reminder of how quickly speculative enthusiasm can reverse, leaving even the most prominent believers nursing substantial losses. The monkey NFT category’s devaluation mirrors broader cryptocurrency market cycles and the fickleness of collector demand.

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