Marketplaces

NFT marketplaces sit on top of token standards and turn raw ownership records into tradable listings, offers, and discovery pages. They do not replace the blockchain. They coordinate the interface and transaction flow around assets that already exist.

In practical terms, a sale usually combines off-chain intent with on-chain settlement. A seller lists or signs an order, a buyer accepts or counters, and the final transfer happens when a transaction updates who owns the token.

Different marketplaces compete on liquidity, discovery, creator tooling, and fee structure, but they all depend on the same underlying ability to prove ownership and move approved tokens between wallets.

The practical takeaway is that marketplaces add convenience, not magic. If you understand token approvals, settlement, and metadata display, marketplace behavior becomes much easier to evaluate critically.