Research with context
Expectations are not sale results
Dealer and mid-tier auction-house survey expectations for the following year.
Period: Expectations recorded at the end of 2025 · Source reviewed: September 5, 2026
How to use this research
A forecast describes what respondents expected at a particular moment. It should not become a promise that an artwork will rise in value or be easy to resell. Buy within a budget you can support without needing a future sale. If resale matters to you, ask for separate, documented evidence of the artist’s actual market and include transaction costs in your thinking.
Editorial application by Physical Art For Crypto; it is not a source finding or a report of our customer outcomes.
What the source reports
- 01
43% of dealers expected sales to improve.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 02
38% of dealers expected sales to stay stable.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 03
19% of dealers expected sales to decline.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 04
48% of mid-tier auction houses expected sales improvement.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 05
21% of mid-tier auction houses expected weaker sales.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 06
Existing collectors represented 51% of dealer buyers.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 07
Existing collectors supplied 62% of dealer sales value.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 08
Political and economic volatility was dealers’ leading concern.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 09
Maintaining collector relationships ranked second among dealer concerns.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025
- 10
Operating expenses ranked second among mid-tier auction-house concerns.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · Expectations recorded at the end of 2025