What are primary and secondary sales?

The Primary Market and Secondary Sales / Markets explained.

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Written by Jeffy
Updated over a week ago

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have gained significant attention in the digital art and collectibles space. NFTs represent unique digital assets that can be bought, sold, and traded on various online platforms. Understanding the concepts of primary and secondary NFT sales is essential for both creators and collectors participating in the NFT market. In this article, we'll delve into the primary and secondary markets, discussing their significance and how they operate.


What is the primary market?

The primary market, also known as primary sales, represents the initial sale of an NFT. It occurs when the NFT is sold for the very first time. In the primary market, the NFT can be purchased directly from the creator or acquired through minting upon purchase.

When an NFT is sold for the first time, it is typically done by the creator. This means that the original artist, musician, or content creator is offering their unique digital creation for sale. The primary market allows creators to monetize their work and establish the initial value of their NFTs.

In some cases, creators may choose to mint NFTs on demand, which means that the NFT is created at the time of purchase. This approach allows for a sense of exclusivity and scarcity, as each NFT is minted only when someone buys it. Minting upon purchase is often used for limited editions or personalized NFTs.

What is the secondary market?

The secondary market refers to all subsequent sales of an NFT that occur after the initial purchase in the primary market. Once an NFT has been sold in the primary market, it can be resold by the buyer to another party in the secondary market. The secondary market provides a platform for the exchange of previously owned NFTs.

One of the most popular platforms for buying and selling NFTs in the secondary market is TokenTrove. TokenTrove is an Immutable ecosystem marketplace that allows users to trade a wide range of NFTs, including digital art, collectibles, virtual land, and more. It provides a convenient and accessible platform for both creators and collectors to engage in secondary market transactions.

Primary sales on Immutable

Immutable is a platform that supports primary sales of NFTs. Creators can perform direct sales of their NFTs using Immutable's checkout feature, which currently supports NFT checkout via Moonpay. This enables creators to sell their NFTs directly to buyers, providing them with an opportunity to showcase and monetize their digital creations.

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