--- title: "Famous NFT Hater Elon Musk Changes Profile Picture to Stolen Apes" description: "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk used to hate NFTs.But now, the richest person in the world seems to have changed his mind about the non-fungible tokens." date: "2022-05-04" modified: "2022-05-04" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/nft-elon-musk-profile-picture" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "NFTs" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "cryptocurrencies" - "elon musk" - "nfts" - "twitter" --- # Famous NFT Hater Elon Musk Changes Profile Picture to Stolen Apes ![SpaceX CEO Elon Musk used to hate NFTs.But now, the richest person in the world seems to have changed his mind about the non-fungible tokens.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* In spite of being a [fan of Dogecoin](), SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is a [noted hater of NFTs](). And now a characteristically cryptic Musk has changed his profile picture to what appears to be a stolen collage of Bored Ape NFTs, inviting drama with the [infamously irascible NFT community](). "I dunno... seems kinda fungible," Musk [tweeted](), in an apparent mockery of the tech. The image appears to have originated as a promotional asset for a [sale at the famed auction house Sotheby's]() by Bored Apes creator Yuga Labs. Unsurprisingly, Sotheby's doesn't seem happy either, with its digital art specialist Michael Bouhanna [tweeting at Musk]() that "as much I admire your work I’d like you to remove your \[profile picture\] that I created for our Sotheby’s sale." "Or you credit me," Bouhanna suggested. "Happy to send you the original file minted with the buyer approval." The NFT crowd also seems irate. "He is just trolling the NFT community," [wrote one fan](). "Bored for sure." "Elon Musk literally made a collage of screenshotted bored apes his profile pic to troll NFT owners," [wrote]() investor Parik Patel. Musk has long been a foe of NFTs. In December, he [mocked the tokens]() as a sign of mental illness, posting [a meme]() showing a patient lying on a therapist’s couch. "These ‘NFTs’ — are they in the room with us right now?" a caption above the therapist reads. Musk [also mocked]() Twitter's verified, hexagonal NFT profile picture feature, which was rolled out to Twitter Blue subscribers. "This is annoying," [he tweeted]() at the time. "Twitter is spending engineering resources on this bs while crypto scammers are throwing a spambot block party in every thread!?" The picture has, of course, changed significantly since then, with Twitter's leadership [tentatively agreeing to sell the site]() to Musk. That's doubly interesting because Musk has voiced concerns over crypto scams on Twitter on several occasions during the sale proceedings, [vowing to put an end to them]() once and for all. NFTs have been a growing scam magnet in the crypto space, with [millions of dollars worth of NFTs being stolen]() on an almost weekly basis. Ironically, though, his renewed interest could represent a coup for the NFT, the sales of which have flatlined lately after hitting record highs late last year, [*The Wall Street Journal* reported]() this week. In fact, ApeCoin, the token created by Bored Ape creators Yuga Labs, soared 19 percent just an hour after Musk changed his profile picture, [according to *CNBC*](). Will NFTs soar yet again, with more celebrities [spending seven figure sums]() on random JPGs of ugly apes? As we've seen on many occasions in the past, all it takes is a [cryptic tweet]() sent out by Elon Musk. **READ MORE:** [Elon Musk Twitter profile change briefly sends token of Bored Ape NFT project soaring]() \[*CNBC*\] **More on NFTs:** *[Hackers Reportedly Get Away With $13.7 Million Worth of Bored Ape NFTs]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()