Crypto Guinness World Records: From NFTs to Live Bitcoin Payments
Bitcoin’s Live Point-of-Sale Milestone
Bitcoin’s recent achievement in Las Vegas was more than a passing headline. On May 30, 2025, attendees at the Bitcoin 2025 conference completed 4,001 live point-of-sale transactions in an eight-hour span, securing a Guinness World Records™ title for the “Most Bitcoin Point of Sale Transactions in 8 Hours.” Lightning Network payments settled nearly instantly, fees were negligible, and wallets such as Blink, Muun, Breez, and NFC-enabled Bolt Cards worked seamlessly with vendors, creating an experience comparable to tapping a contactless credit card. This record illustrates that, with the proper infrastructure in place, Bitcoin can function as everyday money rather than a speculative asset.
The First Ethereum NFT - Terra Nullius
For perspective, Bitcoin is not the first blockchain project to appear in the Guinness Book. On August 7, 2015, the inaugural non-fungible token to use the Ethereum blockchain, Terra Nullius was minted earning the title “First Ethereum NFT.” Terra Nullius laid the groundwork for all future NFTs by linking digital art directly to blockchain-registered ownership. By establishing a verifiable, immutable record of provenance, it demonstrated how decentralized ledgers could verify uniqueness and authenticity in a purely digital medium.
CryptoPunk #5822 - The Most Expensive NFT Collectible
Fast-forward to February 2022, and Ethereum made headlines again when CryptoPunk #5822 sold for 8,000 ETH (approximately $23.7 million), earning the Guinness World Records™ title for the “Most Expensive NFT Collectible.” CryptoPunks are 10,000 unique 24×24-pixel art characters generated algorithmically on Ethereum in 2017. Punk #5822, a rare alien character with a blue bandana, smashed previous sales records and solidified NFTs’ cultural impact. That same GWR category highlights how digital collectibles have evolved from niche curiosities to billion-dollar markets.
Axie Infinity - Highest Transaction Volume for a Game
On March 24, 2022, Axie Infinity set a Guinness World Records™ entry for “Highest Transaction Volume for an NFT Collectible Game,” with 1,304,117 ETH (about $4.04 billion) spent on its NFTs as of that date. Axie Infinity, a play-to-earn game built on Ethereum, showcased how tokenised digital assets can fuel an entire in-game economy. By surpassing $3.5 billion in gross NFT sales in 2021, Axie Infinity demonstrated the extreme liquidity and engagement possible in blockchain gaming, further validating Ethereum’s role as a backbone for decentralised applications.
Loaded Lions - A Drone Display Breakthrough
In May 2025, another crypto project set a different kind of record. Crypto.com’s Loaded Lions NFT initiative orchestrated the “Largest Aerial Display of a Currency Symbol Formed by Multi-Rotor Drones,” using 1,200 drones over Miami on May 1, 2025. Instead of digital transactions, this spectacle translated blockchain branding into a physical drone choreography. The display formed the Loaded Lions token symbol mid-air, showcasing how NFTs and crypto-themed art can bridge on-chain innovation with real-world events.
A Decade of Blockchain Milestones
Together, these benchmarks trace a path from Ethereum’s earliest experiments to Bitcoin’s live retail commerce. Terra Nullius proved that NFTs could exist on Ethereum in 2015. CryptoPunk #5822 demonstrated NFTs’ market value in early 2022. Axie Infinity highlighted blockchain gaming’s economic power shortly thereafter. Loaded Lions’ 2025 drone record signaled how crypto culture can extend beyond screens into the skies. Finally, Bitcoin’s 4,001 point-of-sale transactions in Las Vegas confirmed that, more than a decade after Satoshi Nakamoto’s whitepaper, cryptocurrency can now operate as fast, low-cost money on a mass scale.
As the sector matures, these Guinness World Records serve not as isolated stunts but as milestones reflecting broader adoption. Bitcoin’s retail payment record shows blockchains can handle thousands of live transactions in a single day. Ethereum’s NFT milestones reveal how on-chain tokens can drive art and entertainment markets. Projects such as Loaded Lions hint at crypto’s growing cultural footprint. Together, they illustrate a maturing ecosystem in which innovation moves swiftly from code to real-world impact.
