Set in 1994 Sydney, Australia and New York, the film is based on a true story, written by Wallace, about the rise and fall of Kingsley Walker (Christopher Egan), the currency trading prodigy from Sydney. Walker, who was determined to prove himself in the big leagues, accepts an opportunity to move to Manhattan to run the largest currency trade ever for a reclusive American billionaire nicknamed 'The Whale'.

With constant temptation from his extravagant brokers, a love triangle which takes him well out of his comfort zone and a fierce battle of wits with his arch nemesis, Kingsley has everything on the line: his job, his relationship, his values and his sanity.