NFTs
Trait
An individual attribute or characteristic of an NFT that contributes to its rarity and value.
Last Updated
2026-03-29
Related Concepts
What is Trait?
A trait is a single attribute of an NFT background color, eye type, accessory stored in its metadata. The rarity of a trait combination determines an NFT's value within its collection.
How does Trait work?
- Traits are defined in the NFT's metadata JSON file as key-value pairs (e.g.,
"trait_type": "Background", "value": "Blue"). - During collection generation, traits are randomly assigned with weighted probabilities.
- Rarity tools aggregate trait frequency across the collection to calculate rarity scores.
- Marketplaces index trait data to enable filtering and discovery.
Why does Trait matter?
Two NFTs from the same collection can differ dramatically in value based on traits. A common background versus a rare golden one can mean a 10x price difference.
Key features of Trait
- Stored in metadata JSON, queryable by anyone
- Rarity-weighted some traits are intentionally scarce
- Combinatorial value rare combinations matter more than single rare traits
- Filterable on marketplaces like OpenSea
Examples of Trait
BAYC's "Gold Fur" trait appears in under 1 percent of apes, making those NFTs significantly more valuable. CryptoPunks with the "Alien" type number only 9 out of 10,000 the rarest and most expensive in the collection.