This article is part of the Artnet Intelligence Report: Year Ahead 2026. Drawing on in-depth analysis of the past year’s market performance, the latest edition offers a data-driven snapshot of the art world today—from recent auction results to the artists shaping the global conversation.
A total of $423.9 million worth of fine art sold in online-only sales at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, Bonhams, and Artnet Auctions in 2025. That’s an 8 percent increase from 2024, 5.3 percentage points below the market’s overall growth.
The number of lots sold online totaled 29,623 in 2025, roughly the same as in 2024. However, the average price of a work of art sold online rose 8.6 percent, to $14,309.
Courtesy of Artnet Analytics.
Sales were 270 percent higher than in 2019, before many auctions moved online during the pandemic. Additionally, online-only sales have become a critical way to engage a new generation of collectors: Christie’s reported that 63 percent of new buyers in 2025 made their first purchase online.
