Masterworks

Masterworks turned blue-chip art into a tradeable asset class. The platform acquires paintings by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and Warhol, files them with the SEC as investment offerings, and sells fractional shares to investors starting at approximately $500. When the painting is eventually sold (typically 3-10 years), investors receive their proportional share of the proceeds.

The thesis is simple: contemporary art has appreciated at 13.8% annually over the past 28 years (per the Artprice100 index) with low correlation to stocks and bonds. Masterworks gives retail investors access to an asset class that was previously limited to billionaire collectors and museum endowments.

Masterworks has acquired over $1 billion worth of art and has completed multiple successful exits with annualized returns ranging from 10-35%. The platform also operates a secondary market where investors can sell their shares before the painting is sold, providing liquidity for an otherwise illiquid asset.