Nonprofit Infinite Node Takes Stewardship of Cryptopunks' IP From Yuga Labs

The Infinite Node Foundation (NODE), a nonprofit focused on conserving digital art, has acquired full intellectual property rights to the iconic Cryptopunks collection from Yuga Labs, securing long-term stewardship for the pioneering non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

New Era for Cryptopunks as Infinite Node Foundation Secures Full IP Rights

Founded in 2017 by Larva Labs, Cryptopunks revolutionized digital ownership with 10,000 algorithmically generated characters. NODE outlined a three-pillar strategy to preserve the collection’s legacy: safeguarding its digital architecture, expanding community engagement, and integrating the works into global art institutions. The foundation has partnered with original creators Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs, Yuga Labs co-founder Wylie Aronow, and Art Blocks CEO Erick Calderon to guide its efforts.

Cryptopunks generated over $377 million in secondary sales in 2024 alone but remain underrepresented in traditional art spaces. NODE plans to debut a curated exhibition of all 10,000 pieces in Palo Alto, accompanied by a live Ethereum node to ensure onchain accessibility. The nonprofit also aims to collaborate with museums worldwide to elevate Cryptopunks’ academic and cultural relevance.

Yuga Labs, which acquired Cryptopunks’ IP in 2022, described the transfer as a “full-circle moment” to ensure permanence. “They are best positioned to protect the Punks legacy,” said Aronow. Hall and Watkinson emphasized NODE’s alignment with Cryptopunks’ decentralized ethos, calling the foundation “the perfect long term home for the punks.”

The acquisition marks the first time a nonprofit has obtained full IP rights to a major internet-native artwork. NODE, now the most well-funded U.S. nonprofit dedicated to digital art, seeks to challenge conventional frameworks for how such works are studied and displayed.

The Infinite Node Foundation, backed by a permanent endowment, will open its Palo Alto exhibition space later this year. Its mission includes embedding Cryptopunks into art-historical discourse while maintaining the collection’s blockchain-native integrity. The sale coincides with a decline in the Cryptopunks collection’s floor value, which has fallen from 113 ETH to 47 ETH since October 2021.