A CryptoPunk NFT has made headlines for being sold for $56.3 million.

This comes amid claims that it was a carefully orchestrated promotional tactic for an upcoming meme coin called “Kamala Harris Punk.”

The NFT Sale

Punk 1563, depicting a pixelated woman with dark hair and blue eyes, was recently sold for 24,000 ether (ETH), worth around $56.3 million. However, several red flags raise questions about the legitimacy of the sale.

Punk 1563 bought for 24,000 ETH ($56,292,000.00 USD) by 0x9cbb3d from 0xba1349. https://t.co/FqDvGZvg05 #cryptopunks #ethereum pic.twitter.com/hWimHKYb0x

Just last month, the NFT was sold for under 30 ETH, roughly $69,000, indicating that this latest transaction represents a markup of nearly 81,000% compared to previous listings. Punk 1563 also lacks any rare features, typically placing it at the lower end of the price range for the collection.

On-chain data also reveals that this sale was facilitated through flash loans, which are uncollateralized crypto loans that must be repaid within the same transaction. In this case, the buyer borrowed 24,000 ETH from the DeFi protocol Balancer, which was then repaid by the seller. Although the NFT was transferred to a different wallet, no actual profit was realized, and the transaction only incurred network fees.

Token Pre-sale Marketing Tactic

Further investigation by anonymous on-chain sleuth 0xQuit suggests that the flash loan is tied to the anticipated launch of the Kamala Harris Punk meme coin, indicating that the sale may have been designed to generate hype for the token’s upcoming pre-sale.

According to 0xQuit, Punk 1563 will eventually be sold to the highest bidder after a week-long pre-sale phase,

“The contract is set to accept the highest bid for Punk #1563 after a seven-day period, as long as the bid meets or exceeds the amount raised in the pre-sale,” they explained.”

They added that the developer would receive 10% of the token supply and 10% of the funds raised from both the pre-sale and the Punk sale, while the remaining proceeds would be combined with a new batch of tokens to establish a liquidity pool on Uniswap.

However, this ambitious plan comes with risks. They are banking on earning more than the NFTs actual value, currently estimated at around $63,400. The blockchain detective believes that if the plan fails, the contract can be upgraded, which offers some protection.

In summary, OxQuit characterized the entire transaction as a “psyop,” asserting it is a marketing tactic for a pre-sale rather than a genuine NFT sale. They also suggested it could be a political statement given the “name and the clown makeup.”