- Infinite Node Foundation acquires CryptoPunks IP from Yuga Labs using a $25M endowment.
- NODE plans to preserve, exhibit, and expand CryptoPunks as a digital art movement.
- CryptoPunks will debut with its 10K collection at NODE’s new Palo Alto exhibition hub.
CryptoPunks has entered a new chapter. On May 13, the Infinite Node Foundation announced it had acquired the NFT collection’s IP. The seller was Yuga Labs, the firm that bought CryptoPunks from Larva Labs in 2022. Launched in 2017 by Larva Labs, CryptoPunks is a set of 10,000 pixel-art NFTs. The collection is considered a key milestone in digital art. It has generated over $3 billion in total sales, according to NODE.
CryptoPunks helped spark the modern digital art movement. Its creators, Matt Hall and John Watkinson, became top-selling living artists. Yuga Labs had earlier acquired both CryptoPunks and Meebits. However, it sold Meebits in February 2025. Now, CryptoPunks has moved into nonprofit hands.
NODE is a nonprofit foundation formed in 2025 by Micky Malka and Becky Kleiner. The group focuses on preserving and advancing digital art. According to sources, NODE paid around $20 million for the IP transfer, funded mainly by a $25 million grant from Malka and Kleiner in April to support its mission.
NODE announced it will launch a new era of stewardship for CryptoPunks. It aims to preserve the NFTs’ legacy and expand their cultural presence. The foundation plans to host a full Ethereum node in its new Palo Alto hub. The site will also feature a major exhibition of the entire 10,000-Punk collection. NODE said it wants to redefine how people experience digital art.
To guide the transition, NODE formed an advisory board. This includes Hall and Watkinson, the creators of CryptoPunks. Other members are Wylie Aronow of Yuga Labs and Erick Calderon of Art Blocks. Natalie Stone will also join as a consultant to help manage the shift. NODE wants to build a strong network for CryptoPunks, blending community, art, and technology.
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NODE confirmed that CryptoPunks will remain as originally designed. The foundation plans to promote both preservation and innovation around the NFTs, centering its efforts on three key pillars: preservation, community, and expansion. It also aims to bridge CryptoPunks with academic and cultural institutions to expand its cultural impact.
NODE noted that CryptoPunks generated over $317 million in secondary sales this year. Yet, the collection is still overlooked by traditional art rankings. With this move, NODE hopes to correct that gap and secure a long-lasting future for the collection.
