SuperRare

Curated Ethereum marketplace for single-edition digital art with enforced 10% secondary creator royalties

NFT marketplace Founded 2018 United States
Visit superrare.com
Our score
Good
Chains Ethereum
Marketplace fee 15%
Creator royalties Enforced
Token RARE

What is SuperRare?

SuperRare is an Ethereum-based marketplace dedicated to curated single-edition (1/1) digital artworks and pieces with physical counterparts. Launched in 2018, the platform has facilitated more than $330M in lifetime sales volume, generating over $100M in cumulative creator earnings across more than 38,000 minted artworks.

Corporate background and governance

The marketplace operates under SuperRare Labs Inc., a United States entity founded by CEO John Crain (a former product engineer at ConsenSys), CTO Charles Crain, and Chief Product Officer Jonathan Perkins. In March 2021, SuperRare Labs raised a $9M Series A round with participation from investors including 1Confirmation, Collaborative Fund, Samsung Next, Ashton Kutcher, and Mark Cuban. Governance transitioned in 2021 toward RareDAO, an organization governed by holders of the native RARE token who vote on community treasury allocations and curator Spaces.

Platform mechanics and asset types

Transactions settle on Ethereum, requiring collectors to connect a non-custodial Web3 wallet. Trading mechanics include scheduled auctions, reserve auctions, and secondary fixed-price listings. Works minted through SuperRare adhere to single-edition or limited-edition parameters. In March 2026, the marketplace introduced Liquid Editions, an asset format composed of ERC-20 tokens backed by embedded liquidity pools where visual elements adjust in response to on-chain market activity.

Fee structure and access

Primary sales incur a 15% commission deducted for the SuperRare DAO treasury, leaving 85% of proceeds for the artist. On secondary transactions, smart contracts enforce a fixed 10% creator royalty, while the marketplace takes no additional platform royalty cut. Anyone can browse and purchase listed works with an Ethereum wallet. However, minting as an artist is restricted to curated invitations or approvals through RareDAO Spaces.

Security and track record

SuperRare reduced its workforce by 30% in January 2023 amid a broader market downturn. On July 28, 2025, an exploit targeted the RareStakingV1 contract on Ethereum due to an access control flaw in its Merkle proof logic, leading to the theft of 11.9 million RARE tokens worth roughly $730,000. Staked principal and platform NFTs were unaffected, and the project reimbursed impacted balances. Because single-edition fine art lacks the high liquidity of generative profile-picture collections, sellers may face extended holding periods and illiquid secondary markets.

Founders

Charles CrainCo-founder & CTO
John CrainCo-founder & CEO

Former product engineer at ConsenSys.

Jonathan PerkinsCo-founder & Chief Product Officer
Best for:Fine art NFT collectorsCurated digital artists seeking royaltiesBuyers of single-edition Ethereum artworks

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fixed 10% creator royalties enforced by smart contract on all secondary resales
  • Over $330M in lifetime volume and $100M paid to artists
  • No platform fee deducted on secondary sales
  • Strict curation maintains consistent fine-art focus

Cons

  • High 15% platform commission taken on primary sales
  • Minting access is invite-only or gated by DAO Spaces approval
  • Restricted strictly to the Ethereum network
  • Staking contract suffered a $730,000 exploit in July 2025
  • Thin secondary market liquidity compared to mass-market platforms

Our review

3.6/5
Good

SuperRare is an established curated Ethereum art marketplace with on-chain creator royalties, but it charges a steep 15% primary commission and maintains restrictive artist access.

Fees2.5
Selection3.5
Ease of use4.0
Creator tools4.5
Trust & safety3.5

SuperRare is an Ethereum-based marketplace dedicated to digital fine art, 1/1 non-fungible tokens, and pieces tied to physical counterparts. Founded in 2018 by John Crain, Charles Crain, and Jonathan Perkins under SuperRare Labs Inc., the platform operates a curated gallery model that contrasts with open listing platforms. Instead of open minting for any creator, the site vets artists directly or routes admissions through community-run RareDAO Spaces.

For creators, the commercial model features fixed contractual rules. SuperRare deducts a 15% commission on all primary gallery sales, passing the remaining 85% to the artist. On secondary transactions, smart contracts enforce a non-negotiable 10% creator royalty, while SuperRare itself takes a 0% platform fee on those resales. This setup has distributed over $100 million in total artist earnings across more than 38,000 minted works.

The marketplace expanded beyond static 1/1 pieces with Liquid Editions, launched in March 2026 to pair dynamic digital artwork with ERC-20 embedded liquidity pools. The ecosystem is backed by investors including 1Confirmation, Collaborative Fund, and Samsung Next, raising $9 million in Series A funding in 2021 alongside its native RARE governance token. However, security risks materialized in July 2025 when the RareStakingV1 contract suffered a $730,000 exploit stemming from a Merkle proof access control flaw, though user art and principal were unharmed.

SuperRare suits serious art collectors and established visual creators who focus on curated prestige and immutable royalties over mass volume. It is less suited for traders seeking fast liquidity or low platform commissions.

Listings are researched and drafted with AI assistance from public sources, then checked for accuracy and readability. Spot an error? Tell us. Editorial policy.
Sources (2)

Specs

Chains Ethereum
Marketplace fee 15% · unverified
Creator royalties Enforced · unverified
Focus Art
Token RARE
Zero marketplace fee No · unverified
Points or rewards program Yes · unverified

Not disclosed by the provider: KYC required, Launchpad, Aggregates other markets, Mobile app.

Data from the provider's website and public sources. Fees and availability change; confirm on the official site before you sign up.

Key features

Enforced secondary royalties

Smart contracts automatically route a 10% royalty directly to the original creator on every secondary resale.

Curated Spaces

RareDAO token holders vote to approve independent community galleries and curators who can onboard new artists.

Liquid Editions

ERC-20 art tokens feature embedded liquidity pools and visual artwork that shifts dynamically based on on-chain activity.

Flexible auction formats

Collectors can trade through scheduled auctions, reserve auctions, and secondary market listings settled in ETH.

Non-custodial trading

Users buy and sell single-edition artworks directly from their self-hosted Ethereum Web3 wallets.

Physical and digital support

The platform lists both standalone digital 1/1 pieces and digital tokens linked to authenticated physical artworks.

Inside SuperRare

Auctions

Hosts live, scheduled, and reserve auctions for curated 1/1 digital art pieces.

Drop Calendar

Displays upcoming releases and curated exhibitions across participating artists and independent Spaces.

Liquid Editions

Features ERC-20 tokens with embedded liquidity pools whose artwork updates dynamically based on live market activity.

Digital + Physical

Shows verified digital artworks that are linked directly to tangible, physical counterparts.

Marketplace

Provides secondary market listings, recent transaction activity, and collector and artist leaderboards.

SuperRare screenshots

SuperRare marketplace homepage showing featured artwork, live auctions, and recent sales
SuperRare marketplace homepage showing featured artwork, live auctions, and recent sales · Oct 20, 2026
Drop Calendar: The SuperRare Drop Calendar displays an upcoming featured drop and a grid of scheduled artwork releases
Drop Calendar: The SuperRare Drop Calendar displays an upcoming featured drop and a grid of scheduled artwork releases · Oct 20, 2026
Liquid Editions: SuperRare’s Liquid Editions page shows an artwork marketplace introduction, featured artwork, and an explanation of how it works
Liquid Editions: SuperRare’s Liquid Editions page shows an artwork marketplace introduction, featured artwork, and an explanation of how it works · Oct 20, 2026

What users say about SuperRare

SuperRare links appear across online forums primarily as portfolio and source references for digital artists and animators sharing their artwork.

Based on 32 Reddit posts and comments from the last 12 months, checked Oct 20, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.

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Funding and investors

$135MTotal raised
2Rounds
16Investors
  1. Series A Mar 2021 $9M
  2. Funding round Amount undisclosed

FAQ

Who founded SuperRare?

SuperRare was founded in 2018 by John Crain, Charles Crain, and Jonathan Perkins under SuperRare Labs Inc.

What fees does SuperRare charge?

SuperRare takes a 15% platform commission on primary market sales, while the artist receives 85%. Secondary resales have a 0% platform fee and an automated 10% royalty paid directly to the artist.

Which blockchains does SuperRare support?

SuperRare operates on the Ethereum blockchain, supporting standard ERC-721 digital art tokens and ERC-20 Liquid Editions.

Does SuperRare have a native token?

Yes, SuperRare uses the RARE token for RareDAO governance, staking, and voting on community-curated Spaces.

Has SuperRare experienced any security incidents?

On July 28, 2025, the RareStakingV1 contract was exploited for approximately $730,000 due to an access control flaw in its Merkle root function. Staked principal and NFTs were unaffected, and the team committed to reimbursing affected wallets.

Can anyone mint NFTs on SuperRare?

No, SuperRare is a curated marketplace where artists must apply, receive an invite, or gain approval through community-voted RareDAO Spaces to mint.

Latest from SuperRare on X

SuperRare
@SuperRare · 326.8K followers
Follow
Chat on SuperRare is popping off 📈

Connect directly with artists and collectors. Bring your friends into a group chat and see where it goes.

There’s a whole other side of things happening beyond the feed.

Get in on the conversation ↓ https://t.co/GHGWdLdUZN
7 6 37 5.5K View on X
100 FACES by @tiffatronn

A collection of 100 digitally hand-painted portraits exploring colour, texture, and form.

Coming to SuperRare next Wednesday, November 4. https://t.co/MPLqc8nYmL
11 14 53 4.4K View on X
Three digital collage + painting works by @adhd143 are available on SuperRare

Spring Will Come Again
Post Algorithmic Desire
Voicemail From The Deceased

.427 ETH reserve or 1 ETH buy now

Explore and collect ↓ https://t.co/NYO0rxjuLg
8 7 26 6.1K View on X
camera obscura by @petravoice

A brand new collection of 50 unique artworks available via blind mint

Coming to SuperRare on 3/11 👀 https://t.co/3bemEcQ93Z
Image attached to the post
4 3 28 2.1K View on X
100 FACES by @tiffatronn

A collection of 100 digitally hand-painted portraits exploring colour, texture, and form.

Coming to SuperRare next Wednesday, November 4. https://t.co/Wk26hcMEub
Image attached to the post
5 3 19 2.6K View on X

Recent public posts from @SuperRare, shown as published. Not reviewed or endorsed by CryptoReview.

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