Key Takeaways
- OpenSea will launch its native $SEA token in Q1 2026, allocating 50% to users and 50% of revenue to token buybacks.
- The $SEA token will support staking, community rewards, and is part of OpenSea’s expansion beyond NFTs into wider trading features.
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NFT marketplace OpenSea plans to launch its native token $SEA in Q1 2026, with half of the token supply allocated to community members and 50% of revenue at launch dedicated to token buybacks, said Devin Finzer, the platform’s co-founder, in an X post.
The platform, which reported $2.6 billion in trading volume this month with over 90% coming from token trading, will distribute tokens to both early users and participants in OpenSea’s rewards programs.
Finzer said that more than half of the community allocation will be distributed through an initial claim. The token will feature staking capabilities, allowing holders to stake $SEA behind their preferred tokens and collections.
“NFTs were chapter one for us. In 2021, OpenSea brought the first wave of everyday internet users onchain. Collectors, artists, gamers, musicians — people who had never opened a wallet — showed up on OpenSea and suddenly owned digital property,” he stated.
OpenSea is advancing its transformation from an NFT marketplace to a comprehensive crypto trading platform, developing features such as mobile trading (currently in closed alpha testing), perpetual futures trading, and cross-chain functionality.
“You shouldn’t have to use a CEX and give up custody of your assets. But you also shouldn’t need to navigate a maze of chains, bridges, wallets, and protocols in order to use onchain liquidity,” Finzer explained.
The expansion is supported by the acquisition of Rally and the introduction of new features, including OpenSea Mobile and the Flagship Collection. The platform has entered the final pre-token generation event phase, dedicating 50% of its platform fees to user rewards.