NFT Guides: Marketplaces, Standards and Development
Clear guides to how NFTs work in practice – marketplaces, token standards, fractional ownership and building NFT products.
Best NFT Marketplace in 2026: Which Platforms Are Actually Worth Your Time
Key Takeaways Finding the best NFT marketplace in 2026 is a different challenge from what it was three years ago. The era of a single dominant…
Latest in this topic
NFT basics
A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique token that records ownership of a digital item or a claim on something else. The token itself usually stores only an identifier and a link to metadata – the image, name and attributes – which may live on-chain, on IPFS or on a regular server. Where that metadata is stored matters for how long the NFT keeps its content.
Token standards compared
| Standard | What it represents | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| ERC-721 | One unique token per ID | Art, collectibles, domain names |
| ERC-1155 | Unique and fungible tokens in one contract | Games, editions, tickets |
| ERC-3525 | Semi-fungible tokens with an ID and a value | Financial instruments, vouchers |
| EIP-2981 | A standard way to signal royalty information | Creator royalties (enforcement depends on the marketplace) |
Choosing an NFT marketplace
- Supported chains – Ethereum, Layer 2s, Solana or others.
- Fees – marketplace fees, gas costs and listing costs.
- Royalties – whether creator royalties are enforced or optional.
- Audience – general marketplaces, curated art platforms or niche ones such as music.
- Security – a history of exploits and how listing approvals work.
Building NFT products
Our development guides cover NFT smart contracts, marketplace architecture and white-label platforms. The key decisions are the token standard, where metadata is stored, how minting is paid for and how royalties and listings work. Security reviews are essential, because marketplace contracts handle approvals for users’ assets.
Fractional ownership
Fractionalisation splits one NFT into many fungible tokens so that several people can own a share. It can improve access and liquidity, but it adds complexity around buyouts and governance – and in some jurisdictions fractional shares may be treated as securities.
Launching an NFT collection: the checklist
- Decide the chain and token standard based on your audience and costs.
- Store metadata on durable storage such as IPFS with pinning or Arweave.
- Test the contract on a testnet and get it reviewed.
- Plan minting, pricing and royalties transparently.
- Prepare clear terms explaining what buyers actually own.
Risks to keep in mind
Phishing and malicious approval requests are the most common way people lose NFTs. Never sign a transaction you do not understand, revoke old approvals and be careful with links to “free mints”. NFT prices are volatile and many collections become illiquid.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ERC-721 and ERC-1155?
ERC-721 represents one unique token per ID. ERC-1155 lets one contract hold both unique and fungible tokens, which is more efficient for games and editions.
What is NFT fractional ownership?
It splits one NFT into many fungible tokens, so several people can own a share of a single item.
Where is NFT artwork stored?
Usually not on the blockchain itself. The token points to metadata stored on-chain, on IPFS or Arweave, or on a regular web server.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not financial, investment or tax advice. Crypto assets are volatile and you can lose all of the money you invest.
