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In our previous articles, we discussed how to properly document your blockchain-based art collection and how to securely store your valuable NFTs on secure wallets. Today, we dive into a tricky subject, the storage of the files associated with the NFTs you own.
Many platforms have shut down and stopped paying their image storage, and suddenly valuable NFTs such as the first XCOPY minted work (now known as the lost XCOPY) owned by Jason Bailey, disappeared. That's why we're continuing our series designed to help you navigate this new landscape and keep your NFTs secure and visual-rich.
Here's what our complete series covers:
Let's dive into the essentials of file management (sexy!).
In digital and blockchain-based art, owning an NFT means holding a token that links to a piece of media. But the NFT is not the artwork itself. It is a pointer, a certificate of ownership. The image, video, or other media you see and value is usually stored elsewhere. If that file disappears or is altered, the token becomes an empty shell.
Despite the perception of blockchain permanence, most NFTs store their actual content off-chain. As detailed in an in-depth analysis by Right Click Save back in 2022, 90% percent of Ethereum NFTs are not stored on-chain. "A recent study by YourNFTs, independently verified by ClubNFT data scientist Nick Hladek, shows that only ~10% of NFTs are on chain, ~40% are on private servers, while ~50% use a peer-to-peer protocol called InterPlanetary File System (IPFS)."
This means that the vast majority rely on external links to access their media, which can break, change, or disappear.
Another study from Hamza Salem (Aug 2024) showed that 68% of top 100 NFT collections were stored on IPFS or Centralized servers.
There are therefore three most common storage methods:
In most cases, collectors risk losing the visual layer of their NFTs if they are not proactive as very few collections are actually stored on-chain.
Just as cryptocurrency holders follow the mantra "not your keys, not your currency," NFT collectors should remember "not your file, not your art." Simply owning the token isn't enough - without control over the associated file, you're dependent on others to maintain access to your artwork.
The risks of losing access to NFT artwork are real and widespread. When platforms shut down or stop paying for storage, the media files can disappear even though collectors still own the tokens in their wallets. This applies to both centralized servers and IPFS storage, which requires continuous "pinning" to keep files accessible. Arweave now offers a “pay once, store forever” service that platform can use for more permanence.
Even prominent collectors aren't immune - Jason Bailey, founder of ClubNFT and an early crypto art collector (also supporting collector of 100 collectors), lost access to the first-ever XCOPY minted work when its centralized hosting link went offline. “I still own the first NFT by the artist XCOPY, whose works have recently sold to collectors like Snoop Dog for millions of dollars. Mine, too, would be worth millions of dollars today, but I purchased it from a marketplace that went out of business. Now, it is worth nothing.” Artnome.com
It is definitely not a new problem, but it is too often a silent threat that will only increase as time passes.
A recent example highlights this quite perfectly. On April 23 2025, the prestigious CloneX NFT collection (a collaboration between Takashi Murakami and the now defunct RTFKT, a startup acquired by Nike, which shut down in January 2025) temporarily lost all visuals when their Cloudflare server shut down earlier than expected. While they quickly recovered by moving to Arweave's permanent storage solution, many smaller collections aren't as fortunate.
Without proper file management, collectors risk their NFTs becoming empty tokens, stripped of their artistic and financial value. And we need to talk more about this issue!
Jason Bailey, an early crypto art pioneer and a supporting collector of 100 Collectors, launched ClubNFT to help non-technical collectors safeguard the media files tied to their NFTs. For years, the platform quietly addressed one of the most overlooked yet critical risks in digital collecting: file preservation. Even collectors with millions invested often forget that without the actual artwork files, an NFT is just a token. Sadly, ClubNFT shut down in May 2025, unable to secure funding or achieve sustainability. It’s a loss for the entire space, a tool we genuinely needed, and likely will again. Some ideas are simply ahead of their time, and ClubNFT was clearly one of them: too good, too soon.
But that also means that for now collectors must take extra steps to secure their art. Here is what you can do:
If your NFT uses IPFS, the file must be pinned to remain available. Pinning is the act of hosting the file so others on the network can access it.
You can pin files in a few ways:
Pinning ensures your NFT's media remains available, even if the original platform or creator is no longer hosting it.
Verify the storage layer when collecting an NFT and prefer NFTs that are stored on Arweave as a more permanent storage solution than IPFS. But this might not always be possible.
Backing up means saving an exact copy of the file your NFT references. Since NFTs on IPFS rely on a cryptographic hash, your backup must match the original hash perfectly. Any changes, even invisible ones, will break the connection.
With verified backups, you can:
Make sure to maintain a tracker or spreadsheet of your NFTs (as mentioned in Part 1 of this series), including file hash, IPFS or Arweave link, backup locations.
This is the foundation of true self-custody in digital collecting.
Ownership in digital art is about more than having a token. It is about preserving access to the art itself. If the file is lost, the emotional, cultural, and economic value of your NFT disappears with it.
Most collectors care deeply about the work they support. Whether you buy to support artists, build a legacy, or shape a digital collection, your role as a steward matters. That includes taking responsibility for the long-term visibility and integrity of the pieces you own.
NFTs are not the artwork. They point to it. If you do not own the file, you do not own the visual.
To protect your collection:
In digital art, permanence is not guaranteed. It must be preserved.
