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January 5, the originally scheduled NFT Paris Developer Conference, set for February, was suddenly canceled. Once lively with all-night parties along the Seine River, now only a cold official tweet remains: 'The market crash hit us hard; even with aggressive cost-cutting measures, we can't sustain ourselves.'
Five years ago, digital artist Beeple's work (Everydays: The First 5000 Days) sold for a record-breaking $69.3 million at Christie's auction house. Following that, from CryptoPunks selling for tens of millions of dollars to countless digital collectibles backed by major institutions, it was the golden age of NFTs.

OpenSea, once the face of the 2021 NFT boom, is entering a new era — one that moves far beyond digital art. The platform’s latest shift marks its boldest step yet: a transition from a pure NFT marketplace to a universal on-chain trading hub.


From NFTs to “Trade Everything”


According to CEO Devin Finzer’s latest update, OpenSea recorded over $2.6 billion in trading volume this month — but more than 90% came from token trading, not NFTs. That number says it all: OpenSea is no longer just about collectibles; it’s becoming a platform to trade tokens, perps, and even real-world assets.


The company is branding this transformation as the “sequel” to its NFT-era success — though the timing hints at deeper reasons. NFT market capitalization has stagnated below $1 billion, down drastically from its 2022 highs near $1 trillion. Collections like Azuki and BAYC have seen floor prices collapse by over 80%, and even major competitors have experienced declining volume.


This context makes OpenSea’s move look less like expansion and more like strategic reinvention.


The $SEA Token: Fuel for a New Ecosystem


To power this new phase, OpenSea will launch its native $SEA token in Q1 2026. Half of the total allocation will go directly to the community, while 50% of platform revenue will be used for buybacks, supporting long-term token value.


$SEA will serve as the backbone for staking, governance, and OpenSea’s upcoming mobile trading app, currently in closed testing. The pivot symbolizes a shift from cultural assets to financial liquidity, bringing OpenSea deeper into DeFi and multi-asset markets.


The End of the NFT Era or Its Evolution?


For some, this rebrand represents the final chapter of the NFT mania. For others, it’s OpenSea’s smart adaptation to stay relevant in a market where utility now trumps hype.


If the biggest NFT marketplace in history is now betting on fungible tokens, the message is clear — the future of Web3 trading is about everything on-chain, not just art.


#OpenSea #SEAtoken #CryptoNews #defi

In January 2022, cross-disciplinary artist Ed Fornieles collaborated with art curator Sam Spike to bring an NFT version of electronic pets (Tamagotchi, once all the rage) into reality.
The 'Finiliar' designed by Fornieles is a group of adorable little creatures inspired by the chemical reactions that occur when humans interact with infants. Over the years, this team of little creatures has shortened their name from 'Finiliar' to 'Fini'.
In 2024, Fornieles will further explore the Fini world, taking viewers behind the scenes to understand how he depicts each Fini, their families, and their various emotions and expressions. In the 'Fini Sketches' series, Fornieles shares 25 Fini sketches and storyboards, adding context to the original series from 2022.

NFTs are not just digital assets; they are cultural heritage, narrating the evolution of digital art and creativity. The OpenSea flagship series represents our investment of over one million dollars in collecting, curating, and promoting digital art and culture.
What is the flagship series?
The flagship series is OpenSea's NFT reserve, which you can consider as a living NFT museum: the works within it are not only significant now but will also hold great meaning in the future. Our goal is to pay tribute to the pioneering artists who helped shape the NFT ecosystem and to the emerging creators driving the development of digital culture.