Key takeaways
- OpenSea will launch its native SEA token in Q1 2026, with 50% of users and 50% of revenue going to token buybacks.
- The $SEA token will support staking and community rewards, and is part of OpenSea’s expansion beyond NFTs into broader trading features.
Share this article
NFT marketplace OpenSea plans to launch its native token $SEA in the first quarter of 2026, with half of the token supply allocated to community members and 50% of revenue at launch allocated to token buybacks, Devin Finzer, the platform’s co-founder, said at X. mail.
The platform, which reported $2.6 billion in trading volume this month with more than 90% token trading, will distribute tokens to both early adopters and participants in the OpenSea rewards programs.
More than half of the community’s allotment will be distributed through the initial claim, Finzer said. The token will have staking capabilities, allowing holders to stake $SEA behind their favorite tokens and blocks.
“NFTs were the first chapter for us. In 2021, OpenSea brought the first wave of everyday internet users on-chain. Collectors, artists, gamers, musicians — people who had never opened a wallet — showed up on OpenSea and suddenly owned digital ownership.”
OpenSea is advancing its shift from an NFT market to a comprehensive cryptocurrency trading platform, developing features such as mobile trading (currently in closed alpha testing), perpetual futures trading, and cross-chain functionality.
“You shouldn’t use CEX and give up custody of your assets. But you also shouldn’t navigate a maze of chains, bridges, wallets and protocols in order to use on-chain liquidity,” Finzer explained.
The expansion is supported by the acquisition of Rally and the introduction of new features, including OpenSea Mobile and Flagship Collection. The platform has entered the final stage of the pre-token creation event, where 50% of the platform fee has been allocated to user rewards.
