The short answerFoundation is a curated platform for single-edition digital art with royalties honoured on secondary sales and clean auction mechanics. Secondary liquidity is very limited, which is roughly how galleries work and should be understood before buying.
Best forCurated single-edition digital art
Approval & custody safetyweight 25%
8.5avg 7.9
Fee clarityweight 20%
8.5avg 8.1
Liquidityweight 20%
4.5avg 6.0
Royalty policyweight 15%
9.0avg 7.3
Chain coverageweight 10%
4.0avg 6.5
Usabilityweight 10%
8.0avg 8.0
this service category average across 15Score = Σ mark × weight. Works well for a specific use case, weaker outside it. Methodology.
| Criterion | Mark | What we found | Source | Checked |
|---|
| Approval & custody safety | 8.5 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
| Fee clarity | 8.5 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
| Liquidity | 4.5 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
| Royalty policy | 9.0 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
| Chain coverage | 4.0 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
| Usability | 8.0 | not sourced yet | not sourced yet | — |
What we liked, and what fell short
Liked- Creator royalties are honoured on secondary sales
- Curated, high-quality single-edition work
- Clean minting and auction mechanics
Fell short- Secondary market is very illiquid
- Ethereum-only with a narrow focus
Why the marks landed where they did
Foundation positioned itself as a gallery rather than a marketplace, with curated access for artists and a focus on single-edition work. That focus produced a higher quality bar than open platforms and a much smaller market.
Auctions and royalties
The auction mechanics — reserve prices, timed extensions on late bids — work as expected and prevent the sniping that plagues simpler implementations. Creator royalties of 10% are honoured on secondary sales, and Foundation maintained that position when larger venues abandoned it.
The liquidity reality
A single-edition work has one owner and one potential resale at a time. Secondary volume on Foundation is minimal, and a purchase should be treated as acquiring art you want to own rather than a position you expect to exit. The platform does not pretend otherwise, which is more honest than the marketing on most NFT venues.
Fees
5% on primary sales, which is reasonable for curation and hosting, with royalties flowing to creators on secondary.
Who should use it
Collectors buying digital art for its own sake, and artists wanting a curated context with royalties intact. Anyone thinking about resale value should look elsewhere.
FAQ
Does Foundation pay royalties?+
Yes, 10% to creators on secondary sales, maintained even as larger marketplaces made royalties optional.
Can I sell what I buy on Foundation?+
Possibly, eventually. Secondary liquidity is minimal, so purchases should be treated as collecting rather than trading.
What does Foundation charge?+
5% on primary sales, with creator royalties applying on secondary transactions.
Is Foundation curated?+
Yes, artist access is curated, which produces a higher quality bar and a smaller market than open platforms.
