How to Sell an NFT: Step by Step for Beginners

Knowing how to sell an NFT correctly is the difference between a smooth, profitable transaction and a costly mistake that most first-time sellers only make once. The process requires the right wallet setup, the right marketplace choice, and a clear understanding of the fees and approvals that affect both the cost and the timing of every sale. This guide covers the wallet and crypto prerequisites, how to choose a marketplace and listing type, the exact steps from connecting a wallet to a confirmed sale, and the fees, pricing strategy, and security habits that protect every transaction.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before Listing an NFT

To list an NFT for sale, the NFT must be held in a self-custodial wallet and not sitting in an exchange account. An exchange account does not connect directly to NFT marketplaces, so the token needs to be in a wallet you control before any listing is possible.

The wallet must also be compatible with the marketplace you plan to use. MetaMask is the standard choice for Ethereum-based NFTs on OpenSea and Blur, while Phantom is used for Solana collections on Magic Eden.

Selling an NFT requires at least a small amount of ETH or SOL in the wallet to cover the one-time collection approval transaction. This approval grants the marketplace permission to transfer the NFT when a buyer confirms a purchase, and it is a required step for every new collection listed on every marketplace.

The collection approval is a one-time cost per collection per marketplace. Once it is completed for a specific collection on a specific platform, future listings of NFTs from that same collection do not require a new approval.

Confirming which blockchain the NFT lives on before choosing a marketplace saves time and avoids errors. An Ethereum NFT cannot be listed on a Solana-native marketplace, and the wallet must hold the correct native token for that network to cover any gas costs.

To sell a Jirasan NFT, the NFT must be in a connected wallet holding ETH for gas. Both OpenSea and Blur support Jirasan listings, and either platform can be used once the wallet is connected and the collection approval is signed.

Our guide on how to create a Web3 wallet step by step covers the full MetaMask and Phantom setup process, including how to fund the wallet with ETH or SOL before making any on-chain transaction.

Choosing the Right Marketplace and Listing Type

An NFT marketplace is the platform where the listing is created and where buyers browse and purchase. The marketplace does not hold the NFT — it connects the buyer's wallet to the seller's wallet and facilitates the on-chain transfer when a sale is confirmed.

OpenSea is the largest NFT marketplace by volume and supports Ethereum, Polygon, Base, Arbitrum, and Solana. It has the most buyers and the widest collection selection, making it the strongest starting point for first-time sellers.

Blur is the preferred marketplace for Ethereum NFT traders, with lower fees than OpenSea and more detailed analytics on floor price trends, recent sales, and bid depth. It is less beginner-friendly but gives sellers significantly more data for setting a competitive price.

Magic Eden is the dominant marketplace for Solana-based NFTs and has expanded to Ethereum and Bitcoin. It is a strong option for sellers with collections that have a significant buyer base across multiple chains.

A fixed-price listing sets a specific sale price and sells immediately to the first buyer who pays it. It is the simplest option for sellers who want a clean, predictable transaction with no waiting period.

A timed auction opens the NFT to bids over a set period and sells to the highest bidder when the auction expires. This is useful when the fair market value is uncertain and the seller wants to let buyers compete to determine the price.

A declining price listing, also called a Dutch auction, starts at a high price and drops on a schedule until a buyer accepts. This approach lets the market find its own clearing price without the seller needing to manually adjust the listing over time.

Before setting any price, check the current floor price, the last seven days of comparable sales for the same collection, and any trait-based premium that might apply to the specific NFT being listed. A price set too far above the floor in a slow market will go unsold, while pricing below comparable sales leaves value on the table.

Jirasan NFTs are listed on both OpenSea and Blur. First-time sellers can compare current listings, recent sales, and platform fees on both before deciding where to list.

Our guide on what an NFT is and how it works explains ownership, token standards, and what the buyer receives at the blockchain level when a sale is confirmed.

Step-by-Step: How to List and Sell Your NFT

The steps below apply to a standard fixed-price listing on OpenSea or Blur, which is the most common type of NFT sale for first-time sellers.

Step one: connect your wallet to the marketplace. Go to the official marketplace website, click Connect Wallet, and select your wallet type. This connection proves you control the address and does not give the marketplace permission to move any funds.

Step two: navigate to your profile and select the NFT you want to sell. Every NFT held in your connected wallet will appear in your profile under the Collected or Items tab depending on the platform.

Step three: click List for Sale or the equivalent button on the NFT detail page. This opens the listing interface where the price, listing type, and duration are set.

Step four: choose the listing type. For most first-time sellers, a fixed price is the simplest and fastest option. Timed auctions and declining price listings are better suited for situations where demand is uncertain or high.

Step five: set your price in ETH and choose the listing duration. Common durations are 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days. The listing can be cancelled or relisted at a different price at any time.

Step six: approve the collection if this is your first listing from this collection on this marketplace. This is a one-time on-chain transaction that costs gas and must be confirmed in the wallet popup. It does not transfer any funds or assets at this stage.

Step seven: sign the listing. On OpenSea and Blur, fixed-price listings use a gasless off-chain signature rather than an on-chain transaction. This means the listing itself costs nothing to create once the collection approval is done.

Step eight: confirm the listing is live. The NFT should appear in the collection's listed items and in your profile under the Listed tab. It may take a minute for the interface to update after the signature is submitted.

Step nine: monitor the listing and adjust if needed. If the floor price drops, relisting at a lower price keeps the NFT competitive. If activity picks up, there is no obligation to lower the price before a buyer commits.

If a listing expires, it can be renewed on most platforms without any gas cost. Cancelling an active listing before it expires requires an on-chain transaction on some platforms, which costs a small gas fee.

Our guide on what a gas fee is and why it changes explains how fees are calculated, why they vary by time and network conditions, and how to time transactions to pay less.

Fees, Pricing Strategy, Security, and After-Sale Steps

Every NFT sale has three potential costs beyond the listed price: the marketplace fee, creator royalties, and the gas for the one-time collection approval. Calculating all three before setting a price gives an accurate picture of the net amount received from any sale.

OpenSea charges a marketplace fee of 2.5% on most sales. Blur charges 0.5%, making it the lower-cost option for sellers who want to maximize what they receive after fees.

Creator royalties are a percentage of the sale price set by the original project and paid on secondary sales. Some platforms enforce royalties automatically, while others leave them optional for the buyer to honor.

Jirasan royalties apply on secondary sales and support the continued development of the project. Checking the Jirasan collection page on the marketplace confirms the current royalty percentage before listing.

Floor price is the simplest starting point for pricing. Selling at or near floor gives the highest chance of a quick sale but may not reflect the full value of a rarer or more visually desirable item from the collection.

Checking comparable sales from the last seven days is the most reliable way to price any NFT above the floor. Recent confirmed sales are more accurate than current listings, because listings are asking prices and sales are real values buyers were willing to pay.

Reducing a price without cancelling an active listing is possible on most platforms by using the Relist or Lower Price option. This avoids the gas cost of cancelling and re-creating the listing from scratch.

Always access marketplaces by typing the URL directly or navigating from verified official sources. Phishing sites built to look identical to real platforms are an active threat and a common way sellers lose assets by signing a transaction they did not intend to authorize.

Never sign a transaction triggered by a link received in a direct message or an unexpected notification. Every signing request in the wallet popup should be reviewed carefully, especially if the contract address or the action described looks unfamiliar.

After a sale confirms, verify that the ETH has arrived in the wallet before taking any further action. The funds are sent automatically at the moment the buyer confirms the purchase and can be verified on a blockchain explorer using the wallet address.

Running a token approval audit after a sale is a good ongoing habit. Some marketplace interactions leave standing permissions that are no longer needed once the listing is complete, and revoking those reduces the attack surface for future exploits.

Our guide on how to keep your crypto wallet safe covers the full set of security checks and daily habits that protect every on-chain transaction from the most common threats in 2026.

Conclusion

Selling an NFT correctly from the first listing is what separates sellers who take their on-chain holdings seriously from those who learn the hard way that mistakes in this process are permanent. This guide covered the wallet and crypto setup required before any listing, how to choose the right marketplace and listing type, the exact steps from connecting a wallet to a confirmed sale, and the fees, pricing strategy, and security habits that protect every transaction. To understand how to protect the NFT and the proceeds from the sale over the long term, our guide on the difference between cold wallets and hot wallets covers the security trade-offs and how experienced collectors manage both types effectively.

Read Next

• What Is Minting an NFT? Meaning and Step-by-Step Basics
• How to Buy NFTs: Step by Step for First-Time Buyers
• Best Web3 Wallets in 2026: Features, Security, and Use Cases

FAQ:

What do you need to sell an NFT?

‍To sell an NFT, you need the NFT held in a self-custodial wallet, enough ETH or SOL to cover the one-time collection approval gas fee, and a verified listing on a marketplace like OpenSea or Blur.

What is the difference between a fixed-price listing and an auction when selling an NFT?

‍The difference between a fixed-price listing and an auction when selling an NFT is that a fixed-price listing sells immediately to any buyer who pays the set amount, while an auction collects bids over a set period and sells to the highest offer at expiry.

What is the difference between selling an NFT on OpenSea and selling on Blur?

‍The difference between selling an NFT on OpenSea and selling on Blur is that OpenSea has a larger buyer audience and a more beginner-friendly interface, while Blur has lower fees and more detailed pricing analytics built for experienced traders.

What is a collection approval and why is it required to sell an NFT?

‍A collection approval when selling an NFT is a one-time on-chain transaction that grants the marketplace permission to transfer the NFT from your wallet when a buyer confirms a purchase.

What is the difference between creator royalties and a marketplace fee when selling an NFT?

‍The difference between creator royalties and a marketplace fee when selling an NFT is that creator royalties go to the original project team as a percentage of the sale price, while the marketplace fee is taken by the platform for facilitating the transaction.

What is the difference between selling an NFT at floor price and above floor price?

‍The difference between selling an NFT at floor price and above floor price is that floor price is the cheapest available listing in the collection and sells fastest, while pricing above floor targets buyers willing to pay a premium for a specific trait or rarity.

What is the difference between cancelling an NFT listing and letting it expire?

‍The difference between cancelling an NFT listing and letting it expire is that cancelling requires an on-chain transaction that costs gas on most platforms, while an expired listing ends automatically with no transaction or fee required.

What happens after your NFT is sold?

‍After your NFT is sold, the sale price minus marketplace fees and creator royalties is sent directly to your wallet, and the NFT is transferred automatically to the buyer with no further action required from you.

What should you do after selling an NFT?

‍After selling an NFT, you should confirm the funds have arrived in your wallet, revoke any token approvals that are no longer needed, and check for any standing permissions connected to that marketplace.

What is the difference between selling an NFT on Ethereum mainnet and on a Layer 2 network?

‍The difference between selling an NFT on Ethereum mainnet and on a Layer 2 network is that mainnet has higher and more variable gas fees for approvals and cancellations, while Layer 2 networks like Base and Arbitrum have much lower fees and faster transaction confirmation.