Rolling in the Deep

Tatler spoke to WhaleShark, the enigmatic NFT collector, about digital art and whether or not he’s a hoarder

- Jacqueline Tsang

It’s in the name. In the world of NFT art, it doesn’t get much bigger than WhaleShark. The enigmatic collector only started investing in NFT art in 2019, but is already known for having one of the biggest and most valuable collections in the world. At the time of writing, he has acquired 404,227 NFT artworks but has only sold three of them.

Tatler interviewed WhaleShark for Tatler TV: Meta Versed, a new, weekly online talk show that invites visionaries and leaders in their respective fields to share their thoughts on NFTs, the metaverse and cryptocurrency, and how they are reshaping the luxury sector.

To the delight of artists and collectors hoping to gain some insight into the often confusing world, WhaleShark talked about how he started his collection, how he decides what to add to his “Whale Vault”, how digital artists have changed the landscape of the art world, and how it all affects us and the way we experience art.

“Most people would call me a hoarder,” he joked. “And with more than 400,000 NFTs, it’s a little difficult to refute. However, the difference between a collector and a hoarder is that … all my NFTs are my children; and I know every single one of my 400,000 children. I might be the Genghis Khan of the NFT world!”

He explained that there was a purpose and reason behind every NFT he has bought, and while he doesn’t play favourites, he does have preferences when it comes to collecting art.