Sharky
Sharky is a Solana-based DeFi protocol enabling peer-to-peer NFT-backed lending, allowing NFT holders to borrow SOL and SOL holders to earn interest, augmented by a sharx NFT and token loyalty ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Sharky does
Sharky is a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol built on the Solana blockchain that enables peer-to-peer lending and borrowing against non-fungible token (NFT) collateral. Founded in 2022 (initial release March 2022, public launch April 2022) and headquartered in San Francisco with a 1–10 employee team, the platform allows NFT holders to borrow SOL by locking their NFTs as collateral, while SOL holders can lend against NFT collections to earn interest. The protocol uses an escrow-free lending model in which the collateral NFT remains in the borrower's wallet but is frozen for the duration of the loan, eliminating the need for custodial escrow contracts and reducing counterparty complexity.
Sharky's core product surface consists of the lending and borrowing protocol (accessible via a self-serve web application at sharky.fi) augmented by a gamified loyalty and token ecosystem. The ecosystem includes the sharx NFT collection with four tiers (Baby, Tiger, Bull, Whale), a points system called Chowder, a utility token ($FISHY) used for sharx upgrades, and a governance/rewards token ($SHARK) distributed via protocol revenue buybacks. Interest rates are market-determined: lenders set APY offers on supported NFT collections and borrowers select from the best available offers, with durations and pool sizes varying by collection.
The business model is based on transaction-level fees generated from NFT-backed loans, supplemented by token-ecosystem economics tied to sharx NFTs and $FISHY upgrades. Distribution is product-led and community-driven, relying on organic social channels (Twitter, Discord) and marketplace listings (Magic Eden) rather than sales-led or marketing-funded acquisition. Sharky is privately held with no disclosed venture equity funding; a single recorded funding entry (2024-02-02) lists Majinx Capital with a $0 reported amount, suggesting strategic or token-aligned participation rather than traditional institutional capital.
Sharky firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sharky
- Website
- https://sharky.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sharky is a Solana-based DeFi protocol enabling peer-to-peer NFT-backed lending, allowing NFT holders to borrow SOL and SOL holders to earn interest, augmented by a sharx NFT and token loyalty ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sharky industry classification
Industry- Product category
- DeFi NFT Lending Protocol
- NAICS
- Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)
- SIC
- Loan Brokers (6163), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decentralized Lending Protocols (DeFi Money Markets) (FSADAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crypto-Backed Consumer Loans (Secured) (FSADAFAG), Credit Marketplaces, Aggregators & Loan Routing (FSADAFAJ), Crypto Borrowing & Margin Credit Facilities (FSADAFAC), P2P Secured / Collateralized Lending (General) (FSAKAHAJ)
Keywords
Where Sharky is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Sharky business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel
Revenue model
- Platform fees from loans: The platform facilitates peer-to-peer loans between lenders and borrowers, earning fees from the interest generated on loans. The Chowder system converts points to $SHARK tokens which come from platform revenue.
- sharx NFT ecosystem: Revenue generated through the sharx NFT collection, where upgrades and transactions within the ecosystem contribute to platform economics. $FISHY tokens can be earned and spent on upgrades.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Market-determined interest rates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Sharky product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sharky is a decentralized peer-to-peer lending and borrowing protocol on the Solana blockchain that allows users to borrow SOL against NFTs held as collateral or lend SOL to earn interest. The protocol uses an escrow-free lending mechanism where the collateral NFT stays in the borrower's wallet but is frozen on-chain during the loan term and either thawed on repayment or transferred to the lender on default. The surrounding ecosystem includes a tiered sharx NFT loyalty program, the $FISHY utility token, and the $SHARK governance/rewards token distributed through Chowder points.
Product overview
Sharky is a decentralized NFT lending protocol on Solana consisting of a core lending/borrowing platform where users can lend against or borrow using NFTs as collateral. The ecosystem includes the sh arcx NFT loyalty program with 4 tiers, the $FISHY utility token for upgrades, and the $SHARK token for protocol rewards distributed through the Chowder points system. The platform enables escrow-free loans where NFT collateral remains in the borrower's wallet during the loan term.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- sharx: NFT collection used for platform governance and rewards staking
- $FISHY
- $SHARK
- Chowder
Products and services
- Sharky NFT Lending Protocol Decentralized peer-to-peer lending and borrowing protocol on Solana where lenders make loan offers against NFT collections and borrowers lock NFTs as collateral to receive SOL loans. Targeted at NFT holders seeking liquidity and SOL lenders seeking yield.
- sharx NFT Collection
Quantifiable outcome
- Escrow-free loans allow borrowers to maintain custody of their NFTs while using them as collateral
Companies that use Sharky
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sharky technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sharky partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Sharky competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NFTfi: NFTfi is the largest peer-to-peer NFT-backed lending marketplace, allowing users to lend SOL or ETH against NFTs as collateral. Directly comparable business model to Sharky, though operating primarily on Ethereum.
- BendDAO: BendDAO is a peer-to-peer NFT liquidity protocol offering ETH loans against blue-chip NFT collateral. Comparable NFT-collateralized lending model with a different chain focus (Ethereum) and pool-based rather than order-book matching.
- Arcade: Arcade is a decentralized NFT-backed lending protocol supporting both ERC-721 and ERC-1155 collateral. Directly competes in the NFT-collateralized borrowing space with a focus on broader asset coverage and institutional features.
- ParaSpace: ParaSpace is an NFT-backed lending and trading protocol that lets users use NFTs as collateral to borrow or trade. Comparable NFT-collateralization model with additional leveraged trading features.
- Drops NFT Lending: Drops is an NFT-collateralized lending protocol offering fixed-term, fixed-rate loans against NFTs. Similar peer-to-peer NFT lending model, focused on simplifying the borrowing experience.
Broad incumbents
- Solend: Solend is the largest DeFi lending protocol on Solana, supporting fungible-token collateral. Same chain as Sharky and shares the Solana-native DeFi user base, though it does not natively support NFT collateral.
- Blur: Blur is a leading NFT marketplace and aggregator that has expanded into NFT lending via Blend. Comparable NFT liquidity layer with overlapping target users (active NFT traders seeking leverage/liquidity).
- OpenSea: OpenSea is the largest NFT marketplace globally and represents the broader NFT liquidity ecosystem in which Sharky's borrowers and lenders operate. Adjacent rather than directly competitive but shapes the addressable market.
- Aave: Aave is the largest DeFi lending protocol and a multi-chain incumbent in decentralized credit markets. Represents the broader on-chain lending category where Sharky competes for SOL lender capital with a differentiated NFT-collateral product.
Regional players
- Magic Eden: Magic Eden is the dominant Solana NFT marketplace and is explicitly integrated into Sharky's distribution (sharx NFT collection listed there). Serves the same NFT holder base and operates as both a channel and ecosystem partner.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Sharky social profiles
Digital presenceSharky financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sharky leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Sharky funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sharky M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sharky
What does Sharky do?
Sharky is a decentralized peer-to-peer lending and borrowing protocol on the Solana blockchain that allows users to borrow SOL against NFTs held as collateral or lend SOL to earn interest. The protocol uses an escrow-free lending mechanism where the collateral NFT stays in the borrower's wallet but is frozen on-chain during the loan term and either thawed on repayment or transferred to the lender on default. The surrounding ecosystem includes a tiered sharx NFT loyalty program, the $FISHY utility token, and the $SHARK governance/rewards token distributed through Chowder points.
Is Sharky a public or private company?
Sharky is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sharky founded?
Sharky was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sharky based?
Sharky is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sharky make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Platform fees from loans are the primary driver. The others are sharx NFT ecosystem.
Who are Sharky's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NFTfi, BendDAO, Arcade, ParaSpace and Drops NFT Lending. Broad incumbents are Solend, Blur, OpenSea and Aave. Magic Eden is listed as a regional player.
Does Sharky have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sharky.
What industry is Sharky in?
Sharky's product category is DeFi NFT Lending Protocol. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADAFAB, Decentralized Lending Protocols (DeFi Money Markets), with a secondary code of FSADAFAG, Crypto-Backed Consumer Loans (Secured). Its NAICS code is 5222 and its SIC code is 6163.