The year 2025 concluded on a resolutely optimistic note, marking the end of a correction cycle for the global art market. Beyond the spectacular hammer prices and the recovery of major international fairs, the market has undergone deep restructuring. This new dynamic—more mature and demanding—highlights an inescapable reality: the movement of works has become the “sinews of war.” Between inflationary transport costs and customs complexity, logistics is no longer just an option, but the engine of commercial success.

Volume and Value: A Market in Full Rebound

The global art market officially returned to growth in 2025, generating a turnover of approximately $60 billion, representing a 4% year-on-year increase. This financial recovery is accompanied by historic transactional vitality. Indeed, the market recorded nearly 42 million exchanges in total, a 2% progression.

On the public auction segment alone, activity was frenetic: approximately 867,000 works of art found buyers (a 6.5% increase), equivalent to the staggering figure of 2,400 lots sold every day worldwide. The total proceeds from these auctions rose to $11 billion, marking a strong 12% progression. The second half of the year acted as a true “electroshock” for the sector, posting a 24% increase in revenue compared to the same period the previous year, confirming the return of confidence among major collectors.

Market Share: The New Balance Between Physical and Digital

The year 2025 reshuffled the cards between different sales channels, showing an increased need for physical contact supported by digital tools. Public auctions drove growth (+9% in value to reach $21 billion) and now capture 42% of global market value.

The private market (dealers and galleries) retains the lion’s share with 58% of total sales, generating a stable turnover of $35 billion (+2%). Within this sector, art fairs made a triumphant comeback, representing 35% of sales made by dealers. This need for in-person meetings naturally led to a decline in the share of exclusively online sales, which stabilized at around 15% of the global market, though this level remains significantly higher than the pre-pandemic era.

Art Geopolitics: New Territories of Growth

While historical giants maintain their leadership, growth has become highly decentralized, revealing the need for market players to rely on agile international logistics networks. United States: Remains untouchable, dominating 44% of the global market with sales reaching $26 billion (+5%). United Kingdom: Maintains second place at 18% of the market ($10.5 billion, +2%). China: Captures 14% of exchanges for approximately $9 billion in revenue (+1%). In Europe, France has emerged as the undisputed champion of vitality: the hexagonal market grew by 9% to reach $4.5 billion. In the specific auction segment, France saw an impressive 26% jump, nearing one billion dollars in results. Switzerland and Austria also displayed insolent health, both recording a 13% increase in global sales. Germany, conversely, is going through a more delicate adjustment phase with a 10% market decline.

Across the Atlantic, Canada stands out for its remarkable resilience, driven by a strong refocus on its domestic market and high dealer optimism (60% anticipating growth in the coming year). Further south, Brazil is the true rising star of 2025: Brazilian dealers reported a staggering 21% increase in turnover.

Typology of Works: The Gap Between Prestige and Accessibility

In 2025, collectors favored “safe havens” while continuing to democratize the base of the market. The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist segment exploded by 47% in value. This surge was crowned by the absolute record of the year: the sumptuous portrait of Elisabeth Lederer by Gustav Klimt, sold for the dizzying sum of $236 million in New York. Old Masters also benefited from this quest for heritage security, seeing their sales climb by 30%. Conversely, Contemporary Art stalled, stagnating around $1.4 billion, even though the broad category of Post-War and Contemporary still accounts for 45% of the global auction market.

Parallel to these dizzying peaks, the market is opening up to a wider audience. Today, 60% of works sold at auction go for under $1,000. This phenomenon is largely driven by the dynamism of the prints and multiples market, which now represents 23% of all lots sold worldwide.

Moviiu: The Logistic Response to 2026 Challenges

The 2025 data is clear: the market is growing and internationalizing, but it faces increasing operational hurdles. This is where Moviiu changes the game for dealers and collectors.

Controlled Prices in an Inflationary Environment: Art professionals suffered a 10% increase in packaging and shipping costs in 2025. Coupled with buyer’s premiums that now average 23% of the hammer price, mastering transport costs has become vital. Moviiu is committed to offering clear, competitive pricing, protecting client margins while guaranteeing museum-quality packaging.

Digital Tools to Overcome Administrative Complexity: 2025 was marked by strong geopolitical uncertainty. No less than 56% of surveyed dealers stated that customs barriers and tariff instability had a direct negative impact on their business. As a 100% digital platform, Moviiu provides instant quotes that accelerate sales closures and integrates transparent, expert management of customs formalities. We transform a commercial hurdle into a seamless experience.

Expansion Aligned with Market Opportunities: Because our mission is to support market vitality, Moviiu deploys its services where the growth is. Buoyed by the boom in North American and Alpine markets, we are proud to announce the extension of our network to Canada and Austria. And to meet the demand of a flourishing South American market (+21% growth), our services will very soon be available in Brazil.

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Sources: The Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2026 & The Art Market in 2025