Get All Access for $5/mo

Democratizing Art Investing Through Fractional Ownership Kamal believes that Artfi's driving force is its aim and medium to democratize art for the general public and that they should be able to invest in the world's most prestigious asset class.

By Paromita Gupta

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Artfi
Asif Kamal, Founder and CEO, Artfi

Having been in the art industry for over a decade, Asif Kamal had a flourishing career as a gallerist and connoisseur. A fondness for art and an admiration for technology led him to establish Artfi in 2022. "I was constantly thinking about ways to bring the beauty and warmth of art to more people than ever before. Then when I discovered blockchain technology and the broader cultural push for decentralization, I realized that this was the perfect opportunity to create a paradigm shift in the art world," shares Kamal. Artfi's conceptual idea was welcomed with open arms by the public.

Kamal believes that Artfi's driving force is its aim and medium to democratize art for the general public and that they should be able to invest in the world's most prestigious asset class. The platform is a simple-straightforward one. Artfi accepts a blue chip artwork on consignment and sells it to the general public through fractional ownership offering (multiple unrelated individuals owning a portion). The buyers receive ownership in the form of Non-fungible assets to solidify their stake in the artwork. Then the physical artwork is taken under the non-profit public trust at the Artfi Museum, Dubai, on behalf of the co-owners. Later, if the market is preferable, Artfi seeks permission from the owners to sell the painting. On selling, the token holders will receive their share of the profits. Artfi generates revenue on a commission basis from both parties.

We are making art shareable, tradeable, and liquid. This gives us an advantage over these entrenched market players.

The startup has partnered with Sacha Jafri to bring his creations to the market and has over $16 million of assets under management, which includes works of VS Gaitone and MF Husain.

So, how do Kamal and Artfi have the edge over others? "Auction houses and galleries are in the habit of catering to a very select clientele. Their business models are profitable, but the system is inherently exclusive. They don't offer secondary market liquidity or cater to small ticket sizes. Conversely, we are making art shareable, tradeable, and liquid. This gives us an advantage over these entrenched market players," he shares. Kamal notes Masterworks to be its only competitor in the segment, which is a web2 company.

The Artfi founder counts marketing and lack of onboarding as its key challenges, "The task for our company is to come up with easy ways for people to use this new technology that may be unfamiliar to them. The good news is that we have many ideas to make the user experience as simple as possible, and industry leaders of Web3 technology solutions like Metamask are providing new users with quite userfriendly on-ramps."

His vision for 2025 for Artfi is to become the premiere venue for people to invest in blue chip art. That will expand the Total Addressable Market of Fine Art.

He hopes that the landscape of the cryptoverse will be very different in 2025 and people will be far more comfortable with web3 tools. "The notion that art can be collected by using these tools will be more widely accepted as well," Kamal concludes.

Paromita Gupta

Entrepreneur Staff

Features Writer with Entrepreneur India

Covering news and trends in AI and Metaverse segments. An avid book reader running her personal blog on the side. You may reach me at paromita@entrepreneurindia.com. 
Business News

Apple Is Adding ChatGPT to iPhones This Week. Here's How It Works.

ChatGPT will take over questions that Siri can't answer.

Growing a Business

5 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Business's Online Presence

Boosting your online presence in 2025 is the key to success for businesses looking to grow. Working on your branding and reputation management is important to drive more sales and improve conversion.

Marketing

He Pitched His First Business at 12 and Sold a Company for 8 Figures When He Was 23. Here's This Gen Z Marketing Expert's Next Big Move.

Griffin Haddrill built a marketing empire working with artists like Justin Bieber and Lil Nas X. Learn how he tapped into Gen Z's digital culture and turned viral campaigns into a business model.

Growing a Business

Why Business Owners Should Streamline Their Operations Now for Success in 2025

As the holiday season and year-end approach, business owners face heightened operational demands, from inventory management to spend control. By streamlining these processes and partnering with flexible suppliers, businesses can maintain efficiency, meet customer needs and focus on growth while navigating this busy period.

Growing a Business

How to Spot Trends and Anticipate Market Shifts Before Your Competition

Discover how to identify disruptive trends before your competitors by mastering the art of anticipating market shifts. Learn strategies for staying ahead and gaining a competitive edge in business.

Personal Finance

This Candlestick Trading Masterclass Can Help You Unlock Passive Income for Your Business

Learn what it takes to make smart investments in the stock market.