OpenSea has finally set a date for its long-awaited SEA token launch. The NFT marketplace confirmed on October 17 that the token generation event (TGE) is scheduled for Q1 2026.

Co-founder and CEO Devin Finzer shared key details about the SEA token’s distribution and tokenomics on X, noting that 50% of the supply is allocated to the community.

Over half of that allocation will be delivered via the initial claim, prioritizing long-time users and rewards program participants. Additionally, the co-founder revealed that 50% of launch revenue will go towards buying SEA tokens.

Functioning as a “deeply integrated” platform token, SEA’s primary utilities include staking and community rewards. Finzer highlighted, “$SEA isn’t the destination, but it’s a crucial moment everyone will be watching.”

OpenSea rebuilt as an all-in-one trading platform

Notably, during the 2022 cryptocurrency winter, NFT sales suffered a significant decline. OpenSea, the largest marketplace at the time, reached new lows. 

Now, monthly trading volumes have rebounded to over $2.6 billion, with token trading accounting for 90% of the total, rather than NFT sales.

OpenSea is evolving into a platform where users can “trade everything” (NFTs and tokens), while developing the on-chain economy. 

According to the team, the SEA token is expected to be a potential catalyst for the transformation from an NFT marketplace to an on-chain token trading platform.

Currently, OpenSea Mobile is in closed alpha testing. Post the token launch, the Foundation plans to roll out major features, including decentralized perpetuals (perps) and cross-chain abstraction.

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