Fungible tokens are interchangeable — any one unit equals any other. A non-fungible token is not: each carries its own identifier and its own record of ownership on-chain. That makes it suitable for representing a particular item, whether artwork, a collectible, a domain name or an in-game asset.
What the token actually contains is usually less than assumed. The chain typically stores an identifier and a link to metadata held elsewhere, so the image itself often lives off-chain and depends on that host remaining online. Ownership of the token is also not the same as copyright in the underlying work unless the seller granted it separately, and NFT markets are thin — floor prices come from few trades and can move sharply on very little volume.
Do I own the artwork if I own the NFT?
You own the token and its on-chain ownership record. Copyright stays with the creator unless it was explicitly transferred, and the image itself is usually stored off-chain.
Last updated October 17, 2026