Christie's: solid results, growth and new geographies

Christie's enters 2026 under a more favourable star, driven by the acceleration in the second half of 2025 and the strength of the luxury segment. It was this segment that set the market pace, intercepting new demand, broadening the collectors' base and boosting overall confidence. The second half of the year did not just consolidate results, but marked a turning point, confirming the role of luxury as the main gateway for new buyers (38%) and as a catalyst for cross-category purchases. Another driver of growth in 2025 was the introduction of the new Automobiles category, which generated $234 million through Gooding Christie's, recording the highest revenue in the company's history.
It is on this momentum that the auction house projects itself in 2026. "The solid growth in 2025," said Bonnie Brennan, CEO of Christie's, in a confidential meeting with Arteconomy, "has restored momentum to the market, opening 2026 under the sign of optimism.

2025 closed with solid results, supported by improving performance indicators and widespread growth across all platforms and categories. Global sales reached $6.2 billion (+6%). Auction sales increased by 8% to $4.7 billion, while Private Sales remained stable at $1.5 billion, accounting for 24% of global sales. In this area, 17 works were sold over $15m (up from 13 in 2024). 50% of buyers in private sales were new to this channel, and the three highest value works sold were all concluded privately. Operational metrics confirmed the effectiveness of the pricing and sales strategy: the overall sell-through rate reached 88%, while the hammer price vs. low estimate ratio increased to 113%, both up from 2024.
Collection sales continued to be a strategic pillar. Christie's curated two of the year's top three collections: Leonard & Louise Riggio: Collected Works, which sold in May for $272m, and The Collection of Robert F. and Patricia G. Ross Weis, which sold in November for $223m.

From a customer perspective, luxury remains the main entry point for new buyers (38%), followed by 20/21 (33%). 63% of new buyers made their first purchase online, with an average price of USD 22,700 (excluding wine, +14%). New customers acquired in 2024 increased the value of their purchases by 54% in 2025, while 22% bought in a different category than their first purchase. In addition, 46% of new bidders and buyers belong to the Millennial or younger segment, up 5% year-on-year.

Geographically, 41% of auction sales in 2025 were generated by US buyers, virtually a stable market, followed by the Emea region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) with 36% (up from 32% in 2024) and Asia-Pacific with 23% (up from 26% in 2024). It is mainly the Emea region that has grown compared to 2024, a result that reflects the strategic investment choices, with a significant increase in spending by customers from the Middle East, particularly from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

'A concrete and structural opportunity is opening up in the Middle East,' says Bonnie Brennan. The growing interest, combined with the curiosity and strong willingness to learn on the part of the local public, makes us particularly optimistic about the possibility of building lasting relationships in the region. Markets such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia are still in a development phase, but precisely because of this they offer significant potential'.