The verdict is in: celebrity NFT portfolios have become one of Hollywood’s most expensive cautionary tales. A comprehensive analysis of celebrity crypto wallets reveals that virtually every A-lister who bought into the NFT craze has watched their investments crater by 90% or more, with total documented losses exceeding $15 million. Yet remarkably, almost none have sold—they’re diamond-handing digital assets that have become monuments to speculative excess.
The timing couldn’t be more symbolic. Bored Ape floor prices hit their lowest point since 2021, down more than 90% from all-time highs. The celebrity NFT era, which peaked in early 2022, has entered its final chapter.
Justin Bieber’s $1.3 Million Mistake Leads the Carnage
Justin Bieber holds the dubious distinction of the largest single celebrity NFT loss. In January 2022, the pop star paid 500 ETH (approximately $1.3 million) for Bored Ape #3001. That ape now trades near floor price—about 6-7 ETH or roughly $20,000. His loss: approximately $1.28 million, a 97% decline.
What makes Bieber’s purchase particularly painful is that Bored Ape #3001 ranks 9,810th out of 10,000 in rarity—one of the most common apes in the collection. Even at the market peak, experts noted he dramatically overpaid. Blockchain analysis suggests MoonPay, the crypto payment processor at the center of multiple celebrity NFT lawsuits, may have facilitated the purchase as part of a promotional arrangement.
Bieber’s wallet has shown no transaction activity in over two years. His current crypto holdings sit at roughly $450,000, consisting of 146 ETH and approximately 12,000 ApeCoin tokens. He hasn’t sold a single NFT despite the catastrophic decline.
The Celebrity NFT Portoflios Casualty List Is Staggering
The scope of celebrity losses reads like an awards show seating chart turned bankruptcy filing:
- Justin Bieber: BAYC #3001 — $1.3M → ~$20K (97% loss)
- Neymar Jr.: 2 Bored Apes — $1.07M → ~$35K (97% loss)
- Post Malone: 2 Bored Apes — $735K → ~$34K (95% loss)
- Madonna: BAYC #4988 — $466K → ~$17K (96% loss)
- Eminem: BAYC #9055 — $462K → ~$17K (96% loss)
- Paris Hilton: BAYC #1294 — $300K → ~$17K (94% loss)
- Jimmy Fallon: BAYC #599 — $220K → ~$20K (91% loss)
- Steph Curry: BAYC #7990 — $180K → ~$17K (91% loss)
The pattern is consistent: celebrities purchased at peak hype, paid premium prices, and watched their investments become nearly worthless. The Bored Ape Yacht Club floor price has collapsed from 153.7 ETH ($430,000+) in April 2022 to roughly 6 ETH ($17,000) today—a 96% decline.
Snoop Dogg and Steve Aoki: The Top Celebrity Collectors
Despite the carnage, two names continue to dominate celebrity NFT rankings. Snoop Dogg, operating under his collector alter-ego “Cozomo de’ Medici,” maintains a portfolio estimated at $4.63 million—down from a peak of $17 million but still substantial. His collection includes nine CryptoPunks, multiple Bored Apes, 23 Art Blocks pieces, and the infamous “Right-click and Save As Guy” NFT he purchased for 1,600 ETH ($7.09 million).
Snoop’s wallet (cozomomedici.eth) shows continued activity. In December 2025, he launched a new NFT collection celebrating his 54th birthday. His July 2025 Telegram NFT drop sold approximately one million unique NFTs in 30 minutes, generating $12 million. He’s also donated 22 blockchain artworks to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art—the first major museum blockchain art collection.
Steve Aoki ranks second with an estimated portfolio of $903,000. The DJ owns multiple Bored Apes, CryptoPunks, Azuki, CloneX, and Mutant Ape NFTs. However, Aoki faces fresh legal troubles: a class-action lawsuit filed in January 2026 alleges he promoted MetaZoo trading cards and NFTs without disclosing his financial interest. MetaZoo went bankrupt in 2024.
The community-observed “Aoki curse”—a phenomenon where NFT collections drop in floor price shortly after Aoki purchases them—has become notorious enough that developers have jokingly written smart contract code to “prevent Aoki from buying.”
Shaq Pays $12.8M While Major Lawsuit Collapses
Shaquille O’Neal became the poster child for celebrity crypto legal exposure in 2025. The NBA legend settled two major lawsuits: $11 million for his role in the Solana-based Astrals NFT project, and $1.8 million for promoting the collapsed FTX exchange. The Astrals settlement followed allegations that Shaq encouraged investors to “hop on the wave before it’s too late,” then famously posted a Wolf of Wall Street “I’m not f***ing leaving” GIF on Discord before abandoning the project entirely.
Meanwhile, a separate class-action lawsuit against Yuga Labs and celebrity Bored Ape promoters was dismissed in September 2025. U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin ruled that plaintiffs failed to prove Bored Ape NFTs qualify as securities under the Howey Test. The dismissal cleared 37 celebrity defendants including Bieber, Madonna, Curry, Hilton, Fallon, and Serena Williams.
Logan Paul also caught a legal break in October 2025 when his CryptoZoo lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. Judge Alan D. Albright characterized Paul’s promotional statements as “puffery”—”an exaggerated, blustering, and boasting statement upon which no reasonable buyer would be justified in relying.”
Gary Vaynerchuk Stands as the Exception
Only one major celebrity has emerged from the NFT crash with portfolio gains: Gary Vaynerchuk. The entrepreneur’s VeeFriends collection represents an estimated $107 million in value. He owns approximately 3,000 NFTs including over 60 CryptoPunks.
Unlike other celebrities who bought into existing projects, GaryVee built utility into his NFTs from the start. VeeFriends tokens grant holders access to VeeCon, his annual multi-day conference. The 2024 edition in Los Angeles drew 5,000 attendees and sponsors including Adobe, Meta, Under Armour, and Mattel.
GaryVee has expanded VeeFriends into traditional media: weekly comics in 72 newspaper markets through Lee Enterprises, a partnership with Topps for physical trading cards, and an animated series. His approach—treating NFTs as intellectual property rather than speculative assets—offers a stark contrast to celebrities who simply bought expensive JPEGs.
What Happens Next?
The broader NFT market context explains why celebrity portfolios won’t recover anytime soon. NFT market capitalization has collapsed from $9.2 billion in January 2025 to approximately $2.4 billion by December—a 74% decline in a single year. The average NFT sale price has fallen from over $400 during the boom to just $96 in 2025.
The revealing detail is that almost no celebrity has sold. Whether due to embarrassment, hope for recovery, or the reality that many received their NFTs as promotional gifts, wallets belonging to Bieber, Fallon, Curry, Eminem, and others show minimal recent activity. They’re holding digital assets that have become artifacts of a market that no longer exists.
The exception proves the rule: Gary Vaynerchuk succeeded not by buying into hype but by building a business with real utility. For everyone else, the NFT era has become an expensive reminder that celebrity endorsement and speculative fervor are poor substitutes for fundamental value.
Reported by BlokchainFeed's research team — crypto journalists and market analysts with 50+ years combined experience covering blockchain and digital assets.
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