Celebrity NFT Pioneer Steve Aoki Liquidates Crypto Holdings Amid Bored Ape Collapse

Steve Aoki, once a prominent face of the NFT boom, has begun liquidating his cryptocurrency portfolio, signaling a retreat from the speculative assets he championed during the 2021 market peak. On-chain data reveals a series of sales involving meme coins and Ethereum, coinciding with a devastating decline in the value of his high-profile NFT holdings. According to Arkham Intelligence, Aoki recently sold 1.785 billion SHIB for approximately $10,300 and swapped 7.25 ETH for $15,900, routing the funds to the Gemini exchange. Additionally, he liquidated 4.155 billion PEPE for $14,700. While these individual trades are relatively small, they mark a clear exit strategy from his previous investment thesis. The most significant financial blow comes from his Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection. Aoki invested over $800,000 in seven Apes during the height of the mania; those assets are now valued at roughly $13,800 each, representing an 88% loss in total value. Despite the crash, Aoki continues to hold the seven Apes, though the recovery potential remains slim given current floor prices. This downturn reflects a wider trend across the digital asset landscape. Bored Ape floor prices have plummeted from over $400,000 in early 2022 to under $14,000 today. While the 2023–2025 bull market propelled Bitcoin to all-time highs above $126,000, the NFT sector was largely bypassed. Investors are increasingly favoring projects with clear utility and portfolio value over the narrative-driven speculation that defined the previous cycle.