Short answer: On 2 November 2026 digital artist Stephan Vasement posted that his work had been stolen and that a major collector was praising the copy. On 3 November collector Adam Weitsman wrote that he had inadvertently bought an NFT whose design was copied, sent it to a burn address, and bought the original from the artist. The minting record for the original, on a public ledger, shows a mint date of 17 October 2026. What an artist can learn from it: a mint date is useful but only shows when a token was made, so keep your working files, your first-publication links and a dated record of the exact file as well. A TimeBind dates the exact file you hold. It does not show who created an artwork.
Last checked 13 November 2026. General information for digital artists, not legal advice. This page reports public statements by the artist and the collector. It does not say who made or copied any artwork, and it does not name or accuse the account that minted the copy.
Table of Contents
What was said
The artwork is titled “life lately” by Stephan Vasement. The Verse marketplace page for the work lists it as minted on Ethereum on 17 October 2026, with the file stored on IPFS. On 2 November Vasement wrote on X: “My work was stolen, one of the major collectors is praising the stolen work, and when the original is brought to his attention, he completely ignores what happened.”
On 3 November, collector Adam Weitsman wrote: “Yesterday I inadvertently bought a NFT that the design was copied from. On being notified, I immediately sent it to a burn address and purchased the original from the artist after contacting him.” Other users posted in support of Vasement, and one wrote that no collector can research every piece they love and that the blame lies with whoever copied the work.
We have not independently checked the two works, and this page does not name or accuse the account that minted the copy. It reports the two public statements above and the public mint record of the original.
What a mint date does and does not show
A public ledger entry shows that a token was created at a given time, with a given file reference. That is a helpful marker. It does not show who made the image: anyone can mint any file, including one they did not create, and a copy minted later does not prove the original was created earlier. For that reason artists often want more than one dated record. Working files, the first posting of the piece on a social account or portfolio, and a dated copy of the exact final file each add a piece of the picture.
Why people are searching for this
Measured on 13 November 2026. On X, Weitsman’s post (3 November) had 52,165 impressions and 1,668 likes, Vasement’s post (2 November) had 36,380 impressions and 260 likes, and another artist’s post supporting him (2 November) had 24,904 impressions and 242 likes. A post defending the collector (3 November) had 13,116 impressions and 559 likes. Google autocomplete in the United States returned “someone stole my art” and “someone stole my art reddit” on 13 November. Counts keep moving.
Checklist for artists
- Keep the layered working files. Sketches, layers and project files show how a piece was built. Save them, not only the flattened export, and date them at milestones.
- Save the first-publication evidence. The URL, a screenshot and the date you first posted the piece on your own account or portfolio.
- Keep a dated copy of the exact final file you release or mint. If you mint, record the contract, token ID and transaction link alongside the file.
- Do not rely on one marker. A mint date, a post date and a file record are each a single clue. Together they are easier to explain.
- If you find a copy, capture it before you ask for action. Save the listing, the account, the token or page address and the date and time. Then contact the platform or seller.
- Keep the messages. Save any reply from a collector, seller or platform. An exchange that ends well, as in this case, is still worth keeping.
- Check each platform’s takedown process. Each has its own route and evidence expectations. See also what to keep if you are falsely accused of using AI art and evidence when a client used a design without paying.
What a TimeBind does and does not show
A TimeBind is a dated, checkable record that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. The SHA-256 fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is never uploaded. The record is anchored to Bitcoin (a Merkle root in an OP_RETURN). Your first Pooled TimeBind is free; after that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. See how it works.
For an artwork, it can date the exact final file, the layered source files and a manifest of both, before you post or mint. It does not show who created the artwork, does not stop anyone copying it, and does not decide a takedown or a dispute. It helps you show which files you held by a given time and that they have not been altered since.
Limits
This page relies on the Verse marketplace listing for the original work, the public X posts by Stephan Vasement (2 November 2026) and Adam Weitsman (3 November 2026), and the counts above, all seen on 13 November 2026. We have not examined the copy and make no claim about who made it. This is not legal advice.
Tools that can help
Use the bulk SHA-256 manifest to fingerprint your source folder and final export, then keep a dated copy of the manifest next to the transaction link.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Did the collector keep the copied NFT?
According to his own post, no. Adam Weitsman wrote that he sent it to a burn address and bought the original from the artist.
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Does a mint date show who made an artwork?
No. It shows when a token with a given file reference was created. Anyone can mint a file, so keep working files and first-posting records too.
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What should I save if I find a copy of my art?
The listing or page, the account, any token or page address, and the date and time, saved before you ask for action.
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Can a TimeBind show I created an artwork?
No. It shows that an exact file existed no later than a recorded time and still matches. It does not show authorship or ownership.
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Does a TimeBind stop someone copying my art?
No. It does not block copying or decide a takedown. It dates the files you hold.
Sources checked
- Verse, “life lately” by Stephan Vasement, marketplace listing showing mint date 17 October 2026 on Ethereum, https://verse.works/items/ethereum/0x12969dfe301d641cb7421cfb34a5596dbe071a8a/11 (seen in search results 13 November 2026)
- X, Stephan Vasement post, 2 November 2026; Adam Weitsman post, 3 November 2026; further posts by other users, 2 and 3 November 2026 (counts checked 13 November 2026)
- 24 Hours of Art, 3 November 2026 edition (seen in search results 13 November 2026)
- Google autocomplete (US), checked 13 November 2026
Date the final file and source folder you keep yourself
Your first Pooled TimeBind is free, with no credit card required. After that, TimeBinds start from US$5, and an ASAP TimeBind is US$15. Click here to start, or see plans and pricing.
