What is considered the first major NFT project on Ethereum?

CryptoPunks is considered the first major NFT project on Ethereum.

Created by Larva Labs in June 2017, CryptoPunks consists of 10,000 algorithmically generated 24-by-24-pixel characters. Each punk was issued as a distinct blockchain token, making the collection an early demonstration of digital scarcity and on-chain ownership.

CryptoPunks predates the ERC-721 standard, which was proposed in 2018 and later became the dominant technical standard for NFTs. The original collection used an earlier custom contract, so calling it an ERC-721 collection is a common mistake.

CryptoKitties arrived later in 2017 and helped popularize NFTs with collectible virtual cats. Bored Ape Yacht Club launched in 2021, while Art Blocks emerged in 2020. CryptoPunks' early date and cultural influence are why it is usually described as Ethereum's first major NFT project rather than simply its first tokenized artwork.