7 Art and Tech Trends to Watch in 2025

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The 2025 Art Basel & UBS Global Art Market Report offers a sharp lens into a market increasingly shaped by digital innovation. This year's findings reveal a clear momentum shift that is both generational and technological: from the rise of online sales and blockchain-based ownership to a new generation of digitally fluent collectors transforming how art is accessed and exchanged.

We’ve identified seven trends at the intersection of art and technology that define this new landscape. If you’re an artist, gallery, or fair looking to understand the year ahead, these data points and takeaways are essential reading.

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1. Online Sales as a Primary Channel for New Collectors

Online art sales accounted for 18% of total sales in 2024, consistent with the previous year and significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Notably, 46% of dealer online sales were to new buyers, up from 35% in 2023, indicating a growing trend of new market entrants choosing digital channels as their point of access.

Even more striking: 72% of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) purchased art directly from a dealer's website or online viewing room (OVR), and 43% did so via Instagram—often without viewing the work in person. This reflects growing trust in digital channels as primary access points to the art market.

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2. Dealer-Owned Digital Platforms Drive Growth

Dealers increasingly rely on their own digital platforms to reach collectors, creating a strong omnichannel strategy that blends physical and digital engagement. Online sales accounted for 22% of total dealer revenue, compared to just 13% in 2019. Dealer websites and owned digital channels accounted for 17% of total sales—a major leap from 8% in 2019.

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This shift is helping galleries create stronger omnichannel strategies that blend in-person experiences with online reach. It also aligns with a broader movement toward greater autonomy and direct relationships between dealers and collectors.

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3. Younger, Digitally Fluent Collectors Reshape the Market

Millennials and Gen Z collectors are increasingly influential, comprising 25–33% of all bidders at fine art auctions in 2024. These younger, digitally fluent collectors are more likely to discover and purchase artworks online and increasingly value transparency, social impact, and tech-savviness from the institutions and platforms they engage with.

The Great Wealth Transfer is accelerating this shift, making it more important than ever for galleries and fairs to meet the expectations of a new generation of collectors.

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4. Digital Channels Expand Access to Lower-Priced Artworks

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Online-only sales are a crucial entry point for new collectors. In 2024, 62% of online-only sales involved artworks priced under $50,000.

Smaller galleries in particular are benefiting: dealers with an annual turnover under $250,000 saw the highest share of new buyers (50%), with many of those purchases taking place entirely online. This underscores the importance of accessibility and price transparency in digital sales.

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5. Hybrid Sales Models Become Standard Practice

Hybrid selling—combining digital and in-person channels—is now the norm. In 2024, 31% of dealer sales came from art fairs, while 22% came from online channels. For HNWIs, 43% of transactions happened online and 39% in person.

This balance reflects a new expectation: collectors want flexibility. They expect to discover and transact across multiple touchpoints—including OVRs, social media, gallery websites, and booths. A successful strategy now requires fluency in both realms.

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6. Digital Tools Enhance Collector Engagement

Dealers are leveraging digital tools such as virtual exhibitions, video walkthroughs, and private digital catalogs to engage collectors. These tools provide immersive experiences and facilitate connections with a global audience.

52% of HNWIs who preferred to buy from dealers chose online channels in 2024, up from 33% the year before. Social media continues to drive engagement and conversions, with platforms like Instagram playing a key role in purchasing decisions.

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7. Smaller Dealers Thrive Through Digital Innovation

Small and mid-sized galleries continue to show the most growth. Dealers with under $250,000 in annual revenue saw a 17% increase in sales in 2024.

This growth is attributed to their agility in adopting digital strategies and connecting with new collectors online. These galleries are faster to adopt online tools, more active on social media, and better at connecting with new, younger collectors online. Nearly half (48%) of their sales came from new buyers who discovered them digitally.

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In Conclusion

The art world is undergoing a digital transformation—and these numbers prove it. From new buying habits to platform ownership, this year’s report shows that the future is digital, global, and values-driven.

If you’re looking to future-proof your art business, now is the time to act. Galleries, fairs, artists, and institutions that invest in digital infrastructure will be best positioned to grow, engage new audiences, and drive long-term value.

Ready to take the next step? Learn how Arcual supports the next generation of digitally empowered art professionals here.

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Source: The Art Basel & UBS Global Art Market Report 2025

Header image: Detail of a work by Yuan Fang, presented by Skarstedt in the Meridians sector at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024