Global art sales declined by 4% last year to approximately $65 billion, driven by wealthier clients becoming more cautious amid inflation, high interest rates, and political instability. The only market to see growth was China, which experienced a 9% increase in transactions, reaching $12.2 billion, attributed to post-COVID buying behavior. Meanwhile, speculative art transactions, particularly NFTs, suffered significantly, with sales dropping 51% from their peak in 2021.