10,000 unique, 24×24 pixel portraits inspired by the London 80s punk scene and the 90s cyberpunk culture.

Launched onchain in 2017 by artists Matt Hall and John Watkinson (collectively known as Larva Labs), CryptoPunks were conceived to feel as tangible and ownable as physical collectibles while existing entirely in digital space. First released on June 23, 2017, they were among the earliest artworks to exist as non-fungible tokens on Ethereum, sometimes called the “world computer.”

Initially offered “free to claim” by anyone with an Ethereum wallet, the project was revolutionary: a large-scale generative artwork, a radical new model for digital ownership, and a built-in marketplace for exchange. Anyone could claim a Punk by paying only the network fee. The project's simplicity masked its sophistication, within the constraint of 24×24 pixels lies a system of endless variation.

Each Punk is algorithmically generated from 87 distinct attributes (hairstyles, accessories, and facial details) distributed across five archetypal types: 6,039 male humans, 3,840 female humans, 88 green zombies, 24 brown apes, and 9 ultra-rare blue aliens. The system forms a typology, a way to classify identity into recognizable categories. No two are the same.

Unlike traditional portraits that are commissioned to capture how you look, CryptoPunks invert the process. You adopt a pre-existing avatar that signals how you want to be seen online. In this way, CryptoPunks are the defining portraits for the internet age, permanently inscribed on the blockchain and living on as networked art.

Today, they trade in their own native marketplace; every bid, offer, and sale is visible and instantaneous. Blue means not for sale. Red means listed for sale by their owner. Purple means there is an active bid on Punk. The system is simple, transparent, and verifiable.

See the marketplace instructions below to acquire your very own Punk.
You can also follow along on X and IG or join the community-run Discord.