Artex Stock Exchange to Launch with Francis Bacon Triptych IPO

Artex, a Liechtenstein-based company founded in 2020 by former banker Yassir Benjelloun-Touimi and Prince Wenceslaus of Liechtenstein, aims to list $1 billion in art on the stock exchange in the coming months. On May 30, at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the first art IPO was launched. The debut artwork is Francis Bacon's 1963 triptych "Three Studies for a Portrait of George Dyer," which sold at auction in May 2017 for $52 million. It will be offered via an IPO of approximately $55 million, with ownership divided into shares with a nominal value of $100. Trading was initially scheduled to begin July 21 but has been postponed to September or October due to overwhelming interest from the financial and artistic communities, as reported by Il Sole 24 Ore. The delay allows additional banks and brokers to participate. Artex operates under a rigorous regulatory framework to ensure transparency and trust. The art market has shown mixed results after London auctions, with corrections in estimates, reserve prices, and hammer prices compared to recent highs.