Takashi Murakami to Launch Onchain Trading Cards via Base as NFT Market Surges

Renowned Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami is bringing his signature style to the blockchain once again. On Wednesday, Murakami announced the upcoming release of “108 Flowers Revised,” a new set of collectible trading cards available as NFTs on the Base platform. Minting begins July 31.

“My collectible trading cards — inspired by my physical works — are now onchain,” Murakami wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), giving fans and collectors a preview of the digital release.

Murakami is best known for his vibrant “Superflat” aesthetic, blending bold colors, anime influences, and pop culture imagery. Over the years, his work has crossed over into mainstream culture through collaborations with Louis Vuitton, Supreme, Vans, and musical artists like Billie Eilish and New Jeans.

This isn’t Murakami’s first foray into NFTs. He previously launched Murakami.Flowers on Ethereum during the 2021 NFT boom and collaborated with RTFKT, Nike’s now-shelved digital collectibles project. His return to the space comes as the NFT market shows strong signs of recovery, buoyed by a broader crypto rally.

According to data from CoinGecko, the total NFT market cap recently climbed above $6.6 billion—more than double the value from April and the highest since January. As of now, it sits at approximately $6 billion, reflecting renewed investor appetite and a growing risk-on sentiment in digital assets.

“The NFT markets gain momentum from the bullish trend and increased risk-on sentiment,” said Nick Ruck, Director of Research at LVRG, in a previous statement.

With Murakami's new drop aligned with the market upswing and launched on Base, Coinbase’s Layer 2 blockchain, the artist appears to be positioning himself at the intersection of art, tech, and cultural relevance once again.