How to Create an NFT Marketplace [Ultimate Guide 2025]

Let’s break down the step-by-step roadmap for building an NFT marketplace as a digital platform. I’ll explain the core features of such platforms, including their reliance on blockchain technology and smart contracts, support for blockchains like Ethereum, Solana, BSC, and Polygon, as well as key functions like user accounts, token minting, trading modules, and admin panels. NFT marketplaces function as a web app, enabling users to buy, sell, and trade unique digital assets.

We’ll also look at backend architecture based on microservices and APIs. In addition, I’ll compare popular NFT marketplaces such as OpenSea, Blur, Magic Eden, Rarible, and Foundation. Finally, we’ll cover monetization strategies, marketing, and the choice between custom development and white-label solutions.

What is the Best NFT Marketplace?

NFT Marketplace — it is an online platform that allows users to create (mine), buy, sell, exchange NFTs, and own collectibles. Such platforms operate on the basis of smart contracts, including NFT marketplace smart contracts, NFT marketplace contracts, and marketplace contracts, most often built on blockchains such as Ethereum blockchain, Tezos blockchain, Solana, Binance Smart Chain, Polygon and others. They act as intermediaries between content authors (artists, designers, developers, NFT artists, NFT creator) and collectors, ensuring transparency of transactions, secure data storage and transaction automation within the broader NFT space.

NFT (non-fungible token) — it is a unique digital asset, also referred to as NFT tokens, that exists on the blockchain. NFTs are created according to NFT standards such as ERC-721 and ERC-1155. Unlike interchangeable tokens (such as BTC or ETH), each NFT has unique characteristics and NFT metadata, making it genuine and non-exchangeable. NFTs are most often used in the field of digital art, collectibles, game items, music, as well as in new segments of the Web3-economy, such as tokenize real estate, virtual land, single NFT items, and identities.

Examples of the best NFT-places

Today, there are many NFT-places on the market, but only a few occupy leading positions due to technological maturity, user convenience, minimal effort required for users, and support from the community and investors.



Many of these platforms support multi-blockchain operations and can interact with other contracts, such as ERC-721 or ERC-1155 tokens, to facilitate a wide range of NFT transactions. Key features include the ability to view NFT details like price, trading volume, and ownership history, all through a user-friendly NFT website interface designed for minimal effort and maximum transparency.

OpenSea

Founded in 2017, OpenSea — the largest universal trading platform supporting Ethereum, Polygon, Solana and other blockchains. A wide range of NFTs is presented here — from art to gaming assets, each identified by a unique token ID for precise management and transfer. Main advantages: open market, high liquidity, simple interface, cross-chain support.



The platform was the first to introduce lazy minting —  the release of tokens without prior publication on the blockchain, which lowered the entry threshold for novice creators. During an NFT sale, the seller's address is referenced in the transaction process to ensure secure and transparent ownership transfers. OpenSea actively cooperates with well-known brands and artists such as Adidas, Time Magazine, Deadfellaz and others, which increases audience influx and trust in the platform.

It's worth taking a look at the previous article on the key steps to creating your own NFT marketplace like OpenSea.

Blur

A relatively new but fast-growing project aimed at professional NFT traders. It supports aggregated trading, advanced analytics, instant listings, and deep integration with OpenSea. The mainfocus — highspeedandno.



Blur actively uses the mechanics of gamification and user incentives through the airdrop of BLUR tokens, which allowed it to quickly gain market share from competitors. The platform offers customizable dashboards, mass listings, and fine-tuning of operations, making it ideal for active participants in the NFT-market.

Magic Eden

The leading NFT-platform in the Solana ecosystem, focused on the gaming industry and digital art. It features low fees, fast work speed, and an active community. Later added support for Ethereum and Bitcoin Ordinals.



Magic Eden offers the launch of its own collections through Launchpad, which makes the platform especially attractive for developers and artists. The technical implementation involves deploying and interacting with an NFT contract, allowing creators to mint and manage their digital assets directly on the blockchain. Magic Eden is also actively developing the GameFi direction and integration with Web3 games such as Mini Royale: Nations и Aurory.

Rarible

Open source decentralized platform, supports multi-blockchain (Ethereum, Flow, Tezos). It differs in that users can create their own marketplaces based on the Rarible Protocol. During development, smart contract files are typically stored and managed in the contracts folder, which helps organize Solidity files like marketplace contracts. A voting and management system via the RARI token has also been implemented.



The platform actively promotes the concept of «NFT as an infrastructure», allowing brands and DAOs to launch fully customized marketplaces. Rarible also collaborates with partners such as Adobe, which opens a direct path for authors from the creative industry.

Foundation

A platform with a focus on digital art and curatorial selection. It has a closed access model for artists, which increases the quality of collections. It runs on Ethereum and primarily supports NFT tokens as the main digital assets traded on the platform, focusing on the aesthetics and cultural value of NFT.



Foundation has become a launching pad for many well-known digital artists, including Pak, Fewocious and others. A distinctive feature of the platform is the «auction sales model» and minimalistic design, emphasizing the uniqueness of each work of art. The field of artificial intelligence in NFT and generative art is also actively developing.

Key Features of an NFT Marketplace

Creating a full-fledged NFT-marketplace requires a well-thought-out architecture and a set of mission-critical functions, without which the platform will be uncompetitive. In the technical setup, it is important to organize your deployment and interaction scripts within a dedicated scripts folder. This helps streamline contract deployment, testing, and blockchain interactions.

NFT-marketplace — this is not just a website for buying and selling tokens. It is an ecosystem that combines decentralized identification, smart contracts, a file storage system, a payment infrastructure, a user interface, and monetization mechanisms. For testing and quality assurance, all automated test scripts should be stored and executed from a dedicated test folder within your project structure.

Below are the key features and functional blocks that a modern NFT-marketplace should include.

Account registration and management (User Account System)

The platform should provide the ability to securely authenticate and manage your account via Web3-wallets (for example, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, WalletConnect).
Main functions:

• Connecting and tracking wallet balance


• Operation history display


• NFT collection management


• Profile settings (avatar, description, links)


• User verification (KYC — if necessary)

Creation and release module (Minting Engine)

Allows users or platform administrators to create new NFTs.
Features:

• Support for tokenstandards (ERC-721, ERC-1155, SPL and others.)


• Lazy Minting — release of NFT at the first listing, without gas costs


• Metadata installation: name, description, image, rarity, characteristics


• The ability to choose a blockchain to issue a token


• Integration with IPFS/Arweave for decentralized file storage


• Integration with external services may require an API key for certain features, such as contract verification or transaction tracking

Marketplace and trading module (Marketplace Core)

The central part of the platform, where the interaction between buyers and sellers takes place.
Key functions:

• Viewing collections, filtering, searching by metadata


• Sort by price, release date, popularity, rarity


• Purchaseat a fixedprice (Fixed Price)


• Conducting auctions (Dutch/English Auctions)


• The betting mechanism (bidding), with history display


• Integration of aggregators (Blur, OpenSea) — to expand liquidity

Listings are managed using a listing struct, which organizes all relevant NFT listing data such as token ID, address, price, seller, owner, and other metadata within the marketplace contract. This struct ensures efficient handling and retrieval of NFT listings.

Smart - contracts and ownership logic (Smart Contracts Layer)

The NFT logic is based on smart-contracts, specifically a marketplace smart contract that manages core marketplace operations such as ownership, transfer, listing, purchasing, and storage of terms of sale.

Important points:

• Secure contracts that have been audited


• Built-in royalty system (automatic payments to the author upon resale)


• Support for decentralized management protocols (DAO)


• The ability to update logic (proxy contracts with upgradability)

Wallet and payment system (Payments & Wallet Integration)

The platform should be ready to work with cryptocurrencies and, if necessary, fiat payments.
Functions:

• Connecting popular wallets


• Accepting cryptocurrencies: ETH, SOL, MATIC, BNB and others


• Stablecoins support (USDC, USDT)


• Connection of fiat gateways (Stripe, MoonPay, Transak)


• Automatic currency conversion (through aggregators DeFi)


• Withdrawal of funds to the wallets of sellers and artists

Admin panel and moderation (Admin Dashboard)

The administrative part of the marketplace, designed to control the platform and content.
Tools:

• User and rights management


• View statistics and transactions


• Moderation of collections and listings


• Setting up commissions, categories, and banners


• Connecting and disabling blockchains/functions

Analytics and reporting (Analytics & Insights)

A necessary tool for both users and the project team. Modules:

• Displaying the priceandtransactionhistoryforeachNFT


• Trackingpopularcollectionsandtrends


• Statistics on users,tradingvolumes, and activity


• Integrationwithanalyticsplatforms (Dune, Nansen, NFTGo)


• Charts of pricesandrarity of tokens

Notifications and feedback (Notifications & Communication)

The functionality of user interaction and audience retention. Functions:

• Notifications of new bids, sales, and messages


• Subscribe to authors or collections


• Integration of Email/Telegram/Discord notifications


• Embedded comments or reviews

Mobile adaptation and UX/UI

Modern platforms must be user-friendly on all devices. Requirements:

• Adaptive design


• Fast loading, minimal response time


• Easy navigation by collections


• Support for connecting wallets in a mobile environment (for example, through WalletConnect)

Security and audit (Security Layer)

The NFT-platform operates with users' assets, which means it requires a high level of security. Mandatory measures:

• Audit of all smart contracts (including by third-party companies: CertiK, Hacken, Trail of Bits)


• Protection from attacks: reentrancy, front-running, overflow


• 2FA implementation, account access protection, and ensuring the security of private keys used for account authentication and transaction signing


• Mechanisms for blocking fraudulent collections

How Does an NFT Marketplace Work?

Despite the fact that the user interacts with the platform through a beautiful and user-friendly interface, an advanced backend architecture works behind the scenes, which processes requests, interacts with blockchains, stores metadata and ensures the security of transactions.

These steps are all part of the structured development process, which includes analyzing requirements, designing the system, developing features, integrating with blockchains, testing, and finally launching the platform.

Understanding these mechanisms allows you not only to better understand how the marketplace works, but also to make the right decisions when developing it.

Architecture of the server part

The main functionality of the marketplace is implemented through microservices and APIs that interact with each other. The architecture that is most often used is divided into several key layers:

• API Gateway — a single entry point for all user requests, which routes traffic and distributes the load.


• Authentication service — processes the login via Web3-wallets, uses a cryptographic signature (ECDSA) to confirm ownership of the address.


• NFT-service — is responsible for processing token metadata, displaying collections, linking to IPFS or Arweave, and tracking tokens on the network.


• Trading service — keeps records of active orders, auctions, bids, and completed transactions, including fees and royalties.


• Service for interaction with blockchains — processes events in real time from the network (via RPC/WebSocket), signs and sends transactions, checks the status of confirmations.

Caching (Redis), task queues (RabbitMQ, Kafka), and asynchronous event handlers (worker nodes) are used to improve performance.

Database and information storage

Since NFTs themselves exist on the blockchain, the marketplace does not need to store them directly. However, for the convenience of users and to ensure a high response rate, the system maintains an internal catalog of tokens and transactions:

• PostgreSQL or MongoDB — to store information about users, collections, orders, bids, metadata, and action logs.


• Elastic Search — to implement full-text search through collections and filtering by attributes.


• IPFS/Arweave — used to store images, videos, 3D-models, and JSON-meta data of the NFT, linked via a URI in a smart-contract.

Processing of transactions and trading operations

When a user puts up an NFT for sale or places a bid, the following processes occur in the backend:

• Order creation: the system registers the order in its database and verifies its validity (signature, balances, permissions).


• Transaction generation: The marketplace generates a transaction for the blockchain (for example, list, buy or bid), which the user must sign in the wallet.


• Event processing: after sending a transaction, the backend monitors its status on the blockchain. Upon confirmation, it updates the status of the order, charges commissions, and activates royalty.


• Events are logged and included in the user's analytics and transaction history.

To increase liquidity, an off-chain orderbook is often used — orders are stored in the backend, rather than being published immediately on the blockchain (until execution).

Support for different blockchains

Multi-blockchain marketplaces require abstraction of the interaction layer with blockchains:

• Each blockchain (ETH, SOL, Polygon, etc.) has its own adapter/module that implements event processing, transaction generation, and access to smart-contracts.


• Universal API-wrappers allow you to abstract logic and operate tokens regardless of their origin.


• Configurations, fees, and transaction rules may differ for each blockchain and are configured through the administrative panel.

Royalty and commission system

With each sale, the NFT backend checks:

• who should receive the platform'’s commission, as determined by the marketplace’s monetization model;


• how much and where to send royalty (according to the data in the smart-contract or manually set, based on the chosen monetization model);


• how much income is left to the seller.

After confirming the transaction in the blockchain, the system performs internal processing of the distribution of funds and generates a report in the admin-panel.

Security and data protection

The entire server side is protected by several layers:

• TLS/SSL, API protection via tokens, OAuth, and rate-limiting are used.


• Smart-contracts and backend are being audited.


• All user actions are logged, which allows you to quickly detect suspicious activity.


• Important actions may require additional verification (for example, re-signing or confirmation through Email/Telegram).

Realtime updates

The marketplace is required to display up-to-date data: bids, sales, auctions. For this purpose, the following are used:

• WebSocket-connections to the blockchain for event monitoring (Transfer, Sale, Bid).


• Push-events through WebSocket or SSE to update the client part.


• Background indexing of new tokens and transactions (indexer).

How to Build an NFT Marketplace?

Creating your own NFT-platform — a large-scale project that requires deep technical knowledge, strategic planning and integration with the blockchain infrastructure. Building a robust digital platform for NFT trading involves several key stages: from architecture and design, including the development of the NFT website front-end, to smart-contract development and testing in the mainnet environment.

Additionally, it is important to provide users with comprehensive NFT details, such as price, trading volume, and ownership history, to enhance transparency and trust.

1. Designing the platform architecture

The creation of an NFT-marketplace architecture begins with the design of a distributed system in which each component is responsible for a well-defined function. The architecture must be scalable, fault-tolerant, secure, easy to maintain, and ready for increased workload.



At this stage, the overall structure of the system is formed, its components, integration points and interaction between layers are determined:

• Microservice architecture (or a modular monolith) divided into services: authorization, NFT management, trading, analytics, notifications, etc.


• Blockchain interaction layer — a separate service or module responsible for communication with selected blockchains (Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, BNB Chain and others.).


• Database layer — development of storage schemes for user data, orders, collections, metadata and logs.


• Metadata & Asset storage — choosing the appropriate file storage NFT (IPFS, Arweave, centralized CDN).


• API Gateway and internal communication — REST or GraphQL API, event brokers (RabbitMQ, Kafka), WebSocket-layer for real-time notifications.


• DevOps-infrastructure — CI/CD, containerization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes), monitoring (Prometheus + Grafana), logging (ELK stack).

The architecture should provide scalability, fault tolerance, and security.

2. Choosing a blockchain

Choosing a basic blockchain network — a strategic decision that directly affects the cost of transactions, scalability, platform response rate, and audience reach. At this stage, it is important to take into account not only the technical parameters, but also the ecosystem around the network: the availability of wallets, NFT-marketplaces, DeFi-tools and the number of active users. In addition, different blockchains require different technical implementation of smart contracts and interaction with the network, which affects the timing and cost of development.



The main step — to determine which network your NFT-platform will operate on:

• Ethereum — the most popular blockchain for NFT. It provides high liquidity and access to the largest audience of collectors and traders. However, high gas fees and network congestion can be a limiting factor.


• Polygon — is compatible with Ethereum (EVM), but offers significantly lower fees and faster transaction processing. Suitable for platforms with massive usage, including gaming and social NFTs. Ethereum and Polygon NFT marketplaces are among the most popular in the market.


• Solana — demonstrates high throughput (up to 65,000 tps) and virtually zero fees. It uses its own architecture and programming language (Rust), which requires a different developer stack. Suitable for high-load marketplaces and real-time interactions.


• BNB Chain — another EVM-compatible blockchain is popular in the Asian segment. Low fees, high block rate and good compatibility with Web3-tools make it an attractive choice for fast integration.


• Multichain-approach — support for multiple networks at the same time (for example, Ethereum + Polygon + Solana). It allows to expand the reach of the audience and offer the user a choice of blockchain. It is implemented through custom adapters, bridges, and a universal interface for interacting with various smart contracts.

3. UI/UX and design engineering

User Interface — this is the first thing a user encounters when interacting with an NFT-marketplace. Even with a strong technological base, a poor UX can negate all efforts to attract and retain an audience. The goal of the design — to provide the most intuitive, fast and aesthetically pleasing navigation on both desktop and mobile devices.



The design should take into account the specifics of NFT: visual collections, auctions, interaction with crypto wallets and elements of social activity. The following aspects are taken into account at the UI/UX design stage:

• Creating wireframes and prototypes in Figma/Adobe XD


• Focus on UX: easy wallet connection, NFT purchase, collection filtering


• Mobile adaptation — through responsive design or PWA


• Support for dark/light themes, icons, visual effects for collectible objects


• The ability to set up a profile and manage your own collections.

4. Backend development

The backend — the core of any NFT-platform, where business logic, interaction with blockchains, user management, NFT and trading operations are implemented. The performance, fault tolerance, and security of the entire system depend on the quality of the server side. Since most interactions with the blockchain are asynchronous and require intermediate processing (for example, transaction confirmation, NFT state synchronization, signature verification), the architecture must be event-oriented, scalable, and adapted to high load. At this stage, all server components are created that provide business logic and integration:

• Authorization and session management through Web3 (using signatures and nonce)


• Processing requests to the blockchain: scanning transactions, generating and sending calls to smart-contracts


• Modules: creating an NFT (minting), orderbook (off-chain/on-chain), deals, bids, royalty, reports


• Caching with Redis, using queues for event processing


• Metadata processing: JSON download, IPFS CID binding, synchronization with the blockchain


• Implementation of the API-layer (REST/GraphQL) for the frontend

Languages and frameworks. The choice depends on the team and performance requirements:

• js — using NestJS (structured modular architecture) or Express


• Python — Django (if you need a quick start) or FastAPI (asynchronous, high-performance)


• Go or Rust — for high-load modules: transaction registry, streaming analytics, orderbook

5. Frontend development

The NFT-marketplace frontend — This is the interface through which the user interacts with the Web3-infrastructure. It should provide secure and intuitive operation with blockchain, smart contracts, collections and transactions. The level of audience engagement, the depth of user experience, and the success of the entire platform depend on the quality of the client's implementation. The interface should be adaptive, productive, and synchronized with the back-end in real time.



It is especially important that actions related to wallets and transactions are transparent, visually accompanied, and do not cause frustration to the user. The frontend is implemented taking into account modern Web3 standards:

• React / Next.js — for dynamic and scalable applications


• Web3 libraries: ethers.js, web3.js, solana/web3.js


• Connectingwallets through Wallet Connect, MetaMask SDK, Phantom


• Support for auctions, bids, collection display, filtering and sorting


• Visualization of NFTrarityandattributes

The functionality should be as responsive as possible, with minimal delay between user actions and UI changes.

6. Development and deployment of smart-contracts

Smart-contracts — the core of the entire decentralized logic of the NFT-marketplace. They provide an immutable logic of ownership, issuance, transfer and trading of tokens, as well as automatic distribution of commissions and royalties. Errors in contracts can lead to the loss of funds or assets, so the development and testing phase requires the highest level of accuracy and security. Contracts should not only be secure and efficient, but also compatible with the infrastructure of popular wallets, aggregators, and NFT-protocols.



In addition, it is important to provide for the possibility of updating logic in the future through a proxy architecture and to comply with standards that ensure compatibility with OpenSea, Blur, Rarible and other platforms. Main components:

• Contracts NFT: ERC-721 or ERC-1155 (or SPL for Solana), that implement all required interfaces


• Marketplace contracts: list, buy, bid, cancel, settle


• Royalty (EIP-2981) — automatic payments to the creator upon resale


• Proxy-patterns — for the possibility of updating the logic in the future


• Auditing and testing of contracts: using Foundry, Hardhat, Truffle


• Writing unit-tests and simulating edge-case scenarios

Development languages:

• Solidity (Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain)


• Rust (Solana)


• Cairo (StarkNet)

7. Integration of cryptopayments and gateways

Payment — a key part of the user experience on the NFT-marketplace. The platform should provide the simplest and most secure reception of cryptocurrencies, as well as, if possible, offer payment using bank cards and other fiat funds. Support for multiple payment methods expands the target audience and increases conversion, especially among novice users.



In addition, it is important to take into account the dynamic exchange rate of tokens, support internal exchanges, and automate the calculation of fees and royalties, including tax aspects. Main aspects of implementation:

• Connectingwallets: MetaMask, Phantom, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet


• Tokenacceptance: ETH, MATIC, SOL, BNB, and also stablecoins (USDC, USDT)


• Integration of DeFi - aggregators for currency exchange within the platform (1inch, 0x, Paraswap)


• Fiatgateways: MoonPay, Transak, Stripe (taking into account KYC)


• Processing of commissions, taxes, royalties through the backend

8. Testing and deployment on the mainnet

The testing phase — a critical stage before the launch of the NFT-marketplace, as any errors in smart contracts or business logic can lead to loss of funds, disruption of the platform and loss of user trust. Comprehensive testing covers both frontend and backend, as well as blockchain integration, crypto payment gateways, and NFT interaction scenarios. The platform must be ready to work under conditions of high load and attacks from unscrupulous users.

After all checks and vulnerability removal, a deployment to the main network is performed, followed by technical and marketing preparations for the public launch.

The main stages of testing and deployment:

1. Local testing (Unit and Integration Tests):
   
   
   
   • Testing of business logic at the level of functions and services: creation of orders, signature generation, NFT validation, commission calculation.
   
   
   • Smart-contract tests: checking the correctness of minting, bid, cancel, royalty distribution and updates.
   
   
   • Using frameworks: Hardhat, Foundry, Truffle, Jest (for Node.js), PyTest (Python), Postman/Newman (API).
   
   
   
   


2. Deploy to testnet:
   
   
   
   • Using public test networks: Goerli (Ethereum), Mumbai (Polygon), Devnet/Testnet (Solana), BSC Testnet and others.
   
   
   • Deploying a full-fledged copy of the frontend and backend with connection to test wallets and test tokens.
   
   
   • Testing of end-to-end scenarios: registration, listing, purchase of NFT, withdrawal of funds, profile change, editing collections.
   
   
   
   


3. Load and stress-testing:
   
   
   
   • Checking the scalability of the system with high activity (for example, launching a popular collection).
   
   
   • Tools: Locust, JMeter, k6 — to simulate thousands of simultaneous users and API calls.
   
   
   • Monitoring failures, latency drops, and memory leaks (through Prometheus + Grafana, ELK, Jaeger).
   
   
   
   


4. Testing of payment scenarios:
   
   
   
   • Checking the correct processing of multicurrency payments, Royalty, and commission allocation.
   
   
   • Checking the behavior in case of transaction cancellation, failed transactions, or token substitution.
   
   
   • Simulation of non-standard situations: suspended transactions, network problems, repeated payment.
   
   
   
   


5. Security and audit:
   
   
   
   • Conducting an internal audit of smart contracts and backend logic (hacking, circumvention, and resending scenarios).
   
   
   • Connecting an external audit company (CertiK, Hacken, OpenZeppelin, Trail of Bits).
   
   
   • Launching bug bounties on platforms like Immunefi or HackerOne to attract white hat specialists.
   
   
   
   


6. Deploy in mainnet:
   
   
   
   • The final generation of contracts with canned logic (or updated through proxy).
   
   
   • Database backup and automation of CI/CD-processes.
   
   
   • DNS, SSL, CDN configuration, data encryption, API protection (rate limiting, captcha).
   
   
   • Launching an advertising campaign: announcements on social networks, listing of collections, AMA-sessions.
   
   
   • Connecting support systems: Zendesk, Intercom, Discord-bot, FAQ and onboarding-guides.
   
   
   
   

How to Create NFT Marketplace Like Opensea and Rarible

How Much Does NFT Marketplace Development Cost?

Creating a full-fledged NFT-marketplace requires serious financial investments, which depend on the complexity of the project, the chosen architecture, integration with blockchains and additional functions such as auctions, cross-chain support and analytical modules.



For convenience, there are three main categories in terms of complexity and NFT marketplace development costs:

Small project — from $20,000 to $40,000

Creating an NFT-marketplace at the small project level involves launching a basic version of the platform with the minimum necessary functionality. This format is an excellent choice for starting in the field of NFT: it allows you to test the concept, attract the first users and understand the demand for the services offered. The main goal of developing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) — to create a working version of the marketplace capable of performing key operations: authorization, creation and sale of NFTs, interaction with the blockchain and data storage.

Such a project usually includes support for a single blockchain (Ethereum or Polygon), a simple frontend part with a catalog of tokens and user profiles, as well as a basic interface for interacting with wallets (MetaMask, WalletConnect). Data storage is organized through decentralized repositories such as IPFS or Arweave, and metadata management is organized in centralized databases such as MongoDB or PostgreSQL.

To minimize infrastructure costs and simplify deployment processes, DevOps uses Docker for containerization, and hosting is done on Digital Ocean or Vercel.

Technology stack for a small project:

• Frontend:js or Vue.js


• Backend:js (Express) or Python (Flask/Django)


• Blockchain: Ethereum, Polygon


• Database: MongoDB or PostgreSQL


• Storage: IPFS, Arweave


• DevOps: Docker, DigitalOcean, Vercel

Development time:

• Design and prototyping: 2-3 weeks


• Frontend: 3-4 weeks


• Backend: 4-6 weeks


• Blockchain integration: 2-3 weeks


• Testing and deployment: 1-2 weeks

Total term: about 3-4 months.

Medium project — from $40,000 to $80,000

The development of an NFT-marketplace of medium complexity — already a more scalable solution designed for high workload and a larger volume of operations. Unlike the minimum viable product (MVP), it implements advanced features for managing collections, interacting with multiple blockchains (Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain), and adds analytics and integration modules with DeFi platforms.

This marketplace supports not only the standard NFT purchase and sale functions, but also additional modules: auctions (English and Dutch Auctions), bids, advanced filters for searching for tokens, as well as tools for cross-chain transactions. To improve performance, an event-based architecture with message queues (RabbitMQ or Kafka) is used, which allows you to scale request processing to a high volume of traffic.

From a DevOps perspective, the project is deployed in a cloud infrastructure on AWS or Google Cloud Platform (GCP), using Kubernetes for container orchestration and automation of CI/CD processes. Data storage is organized on PostgreSQL with caching via Redis to speed up operations. NFT files are stored on decentralized networks (IPFS, Arweave), and static content is delivered via Cloudflare CDN.

Technology stack for a medium project:

• Frontend:js, Redux


• Backend: NestJS, Django, or FastAPI


• Blockchain: Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain


• Database: PostgreSQL, Redis for caching


• Storage: IPFS, Arweave, Cloudflare CDN


• DevOps: Kubernetes, Docker, AWS or GCP


• Message Queue: RabbitMQ or Kafka for event architecture

Development time:

• Design and prototyping: 4-5 weeks


• Frontend: 6-8 weeks


• Backend: 8-10 weeks


• Blockchain integration: 4-5 weeks


• Testing and deployment: 3-4 weeks

Total term: about 5-6 months.

This approach allows the platform to not only function stably under high load, but also to scale easily with an increase in the number of users or the integration of new blockchains.

Large project — from $80,000 to $160,000

The development of a large NFT-marketplace — is the creation of a highly loaded platform with an advanced architecture capable of serving millions of users and supporting multi-blockchain interaction. Such solutions are focused on full-fledged competition with the largest platforms such as OpenSea, Blur or Rarible. A distinctive feature of such marketplaces is deep integration with multiple blockchains (Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche) to expand user reach, as well as the ability to issue, trade, and move NFTs between networks.

In addition, such platforms include an advanced analytics module with the ability to track rarities, collection trends, and price dynamics. Integration with DeFi-aggregators and support for custom auctions (for example, private auctions, fractional ownership) make such platforms as flexible as possible for different categories of users.

The backend is developed on highly loaded frameworks (NestJS, Golang, Rust), which allows you to support thousands of transactions per second and guarantee stable operation under heavy load. CockroachDB and Cassandra are used as databases, providing horizontal scaling and high fault tolerance.

The infrastructure is built on Kubernetes with deployment in AWS or GCP clouds, and data storage is implemented using Arweave and Filecoin for complete decentralization and security of media files. All smart-contracts are strictly audited and deployed with multi-blockchain compatibility in mind.

Technology stack for a large project:

• Frontend:js, Three.js, WebGL — support for three-dimensional visualization of NFT objects, user-friendly interface for interacting with collections.


• Backend: NestJS, Golang, Rust — high performance, stable processing of large amounts of data.


• Blockchain: Multichain (Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche) — support for multiple networks to expand trading opportunities.


• Database: CockroachDB, Cassandra — horizontally scalable databases with high fault tolerance.


• Storage: Arweave, Filecoin — decentralized storage of media files with a guarantee of their availability.


• DevOps: Kubernetes, AWS/GCP, Cloudflare — automation of deployment, container orchestration, and scaling.

Development time:

• Design and prototyping: 6-8 weeks


• Frontend: 10-12 weeks


• Backend: 12-14 weeks


• Blockchain integration: 6-8 weeks


• Testing and deployment: 4-6 weeks

Total term: about 8-12 months.

Such platforms may include additional features such as:

• DAO mechanism for voting and protocol management.


• Building custom marketplaces based on the main product.


• Integration of analytical tools like Dune Analytics or Nansen.


• Support for NFT leasing and fractional ownership.

How Does NFT Marketplace Make Money?

NFT-marketplaces are multifunctional platforms that actively monetize every stage of user interaction with the ecosystem: from the creation and sale of tokens to their subsequent resale.



Revenue models include transaction fees, listing fees, royalty, premium features, and more. The more active users are on the platform, the higher its profits.

A structured table with the main sources of earnings for NFT-marketplaces:

How to Start an NFT marketplace?

Entering the NFT market requires careful preparation and strategic planning. Unlike traditional business, creating an NFT-platform or trading digital assets requires an understanding of blockchain technologies, legal aspects, marketing strategies, and smart contract development features. Let's look at the key steps that will help you successfully launch a project in the NFT sphere.

1. Definition of the concept and business model

Before you start developing or investing in NFTs, it is important to clearly define the concept of the project. There are several model options in this area:

• NFT-marketplace — A marketplace that allows users to buy, sell, and exchange NFTs. Examples: OpenSea, Rarible, Magic Eden.


• Platform for release (Minting Platform) — a service that provides users with the opportunity to create (minting) their tokens.


• Gaming platform with NFT — NFT integration into games, allowing players to own and trade in-game items. Examples: Axie Infinity, The Sandbox.


• A platform for collecting — specialization in rare digital objects: works of art, music, photographs.

It is worth reading how to launch an art nft marketplace and make money trends.



After selecting a concept, the business model should be defined. These may include transaction fees, listing fees, subscription models, or premium services (such as collection promotion). It is important to take into account the competitive environment and choose a suitable niche that has potential for growth.

2. Company registration and choice of jurisdiction

The legal aspects in the field of NFT are extremely important. Depending on the country in which the company will be registered, the requirements for regulating digital assets may vary. The most popular jurisdictions for business registration in the field of blockchain and cryptocurrencies:

• Estonia — one of the most loyal countries to crypto projects, with clear legislation and affordable licenses for cryptocurrency activities.


• Switzerland (Crypto Valley in Zug) — stable regulation and support for blockchain startups.


• Singapore — a well-developed legal framework for digital assets, no capital gains tax.


• Gibraltar — early adaptation of blockchain rules, clear licensing structure.


• Seychelles and Cayman Islands — they are often used for tax optimization and minimizing legal obligations.

When choosing a jurisdiction, it is worth considering whether a license is required for operations with cryptocurrencies and NFT, whether it is necessary to carry out the KYC/AML procedure for users, and what taxes will be applied.

3. Developing a business plan

A business plan — is the foundation for a successful start. It should include:

• Market and competitor analysis — identify the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, their business models and technical solutions.


• Target audience — description of the user's portrait: collectors, gamers, artists, investors.


• Financial model — cost estimates for development, marketing, legal services, and platform support.


• Monetization strategy — how the project will generate revenue (commissions, subscriptions, premium services).


• Scaling model — opportunities to enter the international market, integration with other blockchain platforms.


• Marketing strategy — promotion channels, community work, collaborations with influencers and artists.

4. Marketing and promotion in international markets

The promotion of the NFT-project requires an understanding of the specifics of the crypto community and the specifics of international markets. Effective channels:

• Social networks — Twitter, Discord, Telegram — the main platforms for communication of the crypto community.


• Platforms for artists and creators — Behance, Dribbble, Reddit.


• Influencer Marketing — collaboration with influencers popular in the NFT and cryptosphere.


• PR and articles on specialized resources — CoinDesk, CoinTelegraph, Decrypt.


• Blockchain conferences and summits — participation in international exhibitions such as NFT NYC, ETHDenver, Consensus.


• Whitepaper and Litepaper — development of technical documentation describing the principles of the platform, its advantages and unique features.

When promoting NFT marketplaces focused on digital education, highlight the ability to sell online courses as NFTs. This approach positions the platform as a hub for digital learning and online education, attracting educators and learners interested in curated programs and digital education materials.

To successfully enter international markets, it is worthwhile to adapt the marketing strategy to regional specifics. For example, in the United States, special attention is paid to legal aspects, in Europe — to the environmental friendliness of blockchain solutions, and in Asia — to the speed and performance of platforms.