Research with context
Understanding the global art market
Estimates for the global art and antiques market; values are USD.
Period: 2025 activity; 2026 report · Source reviewed: September 5, 2026
How to use this research
Use market totals to understand the setting in which a purchase happens. For your own decision, build a budget around the specific artwork and the final delivery address. A national market share describes where transactions occur; it does not tell you how much an individual resident spends. Keep a quote for an original contemporary painting separate from an auction result for a historical work.
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
Estimated global sales reached $59.6 billion in 2025.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 02
Global sales value increased 4% during 2025.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 03
An estimated 41.5 million transactions took place in 2025.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 04
The United States represented 44% of global sales value.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 05
The United Kingdom represented 18% of global sales value.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 06
China represented 14% of global sales value.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 07
French market sales reached $4.5 billion.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 08
Online-only sales totaled $9.2 billion.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 09
Online-only transactions accounted for 15% of market sales value.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report
- 10
Global transaction volume rose 2% year over year.
Art Basel & UBS / Arts Economics ↗ · 2025 activity; 2026 report