Nifty Gateway, one of the leading NFT platforms, will cease operations in February 2026

Nifty Gateway will close its doors on February 23, 2026, marking the end of an era for the digital art market. But before understanding what the platform meant, we need to clarify what an NFT is: non-fungible tokens, unique and verifiable digital files on the blockchain that represent ownership of digital collectibles. Nifty Gateway was one of the pioneers in bringing this concept to ordinary artists and collectors, simplifying access to these assets.

What is an NFT and the legacy left by Nifty Gateway

Non-fungible tokens revolutionized the way digital art was traded. Nifty Gateway gained prominence by accepting credit card payments, making transactions easier for users without cryptocurrency experience. At its peak, in mid-2021, the platform facilitated over US$ 300 million in sales, hosting exclusive “drops” with artists like Beeple and Grimes. The platform’s key feature was making the NFT what it is: a legitimate and accessible means for collectors.

Urgent action: users have only 22 days to withdraw their assets

From now on, Nifty Gateway has entered withdrawal-only mode. All users have a tight deadline: by February 23, they need to transfer their NFTs and funds still on the platform. Withdrawals can be made through an account connected to Gemini Exchange or sent directly to a bank via Stripe. This is a critical window for those holding collections on the platform – time is running out.

From the 2021 boom to the decline of the NFT market

The NFT market peaked in early 2022, when capitalization reached an impressive US$ 17 billion. But since then, it has faced a persistently bearish market. Today, market capitalization has fallen to just US$ 2.8 billion – a reduction of over 80%. Nifty Gateway was not immune to this reality. In April 2024, the company shifted strategy, abandoning marketplace operations and repositioning itself as Nifty Gateway Studio, now focusing on creating onchain creative projects in partnership with brands and artists.

Gemini chooses the super app instead of maintaining the NFT marketplace

The decision to shut down operations came from the parent company Gemini. According to an official statement, “this decision will allow Gemini to focus its efforts and execute the vision of building a comprehensive super app for its customers.” The strategy makes it clear that the focus now is on a unified platform, not specialized marketplaces. Despite this, Gemini promises to continue supporting NFTs through its Gemini Wallet, signaling that support for digital collectibles does not disappear – it simply changes format.

The closure marks an important chapter in the lifecycle of NFT platforms: while the market for non-fungible tokens remains, the supporting structures continue to evolve. Nifty Gateway was a pioneer in democratizing access to NFTs, but in the new market reality, even established platforms need to adapt or give way to other strategies.