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OpenSea delays SEA token launch as weak market conditions stall rollout

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OpenSea delays SEA token launch as weak market conditions stall rollout

NFT marketplace OpenSea has decided to delay the launch of its native token, SEA.

Summary

  • OpenSea delays SEA token launch, with CEO Devin Finzer citing challenging market conditions and no revised timeline announced.
  • Waves reward campaign set to conclude as SEA allocation plans are adjusted.

Announcing the update on X, OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer cited “challenging market conditions” as the primary reason behind the decision.

The SEA token was first introduced in February 2025 and was subsequently set to be released around March 30 as part of its broader rollout plans.

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SEA is expected to form the core of OpenSea’s long-term push to build a “trade everything” app, a multi-chain platform that would support token trading, NFTs, and features such as perpetual futures.

As previously reported by crypto.news, the native token would function as both a utility and governance asset, offering discounted trading fees, staking tied to NFT collections, and community participation in platform decisions.

However, the platform is now delaying the rollout amid weak market conditions that have continued to weigh on NFT activity.

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For instance, since the start of the year, data from CryptoSlam shows that total NFT market capitalization has dropped by more than 50%, falling from around $3.2 billion in mid January to roughly $1.62 billion.

Further, marketplaces like OpenSea have also seen a sharp decline in activity, with monthly NFT trading volumes now consistently below $500 million, far below levels recorded during the 2021 to 2022 cycle.

Finzer said the team wants to ensure that “every piece is in place” before moving ahead, but did not provide a new timeline for the token launch.

Meanwhile, he also clarified details around its ongoing “Waves” reward program, which has been running since October to determine SEA token allocation for users.

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With the launch now delayed, OpenSea is giving users who participated in Waves 3 to 6 the option to claim refunds on platform fees collected during that period, if they agree to forfeit their Treasure Chest rewards. Treasures are point-based rewards that users can use to unlock incentives and prizes within the platform.

“While we’re postponing our March 30 event, we’ll host a separate one in the coming months focused on product updates. It’s been incredible to see the early responses to our mobile app, and we can’t wait to get it into more people’s hands,” he added.

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Crypto World

China’s Tax Authority Urges Bank Blockchain Implementations for Lending

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China's Tax Authority Urges Bank Blockchain Implementations for Lending

China’s tax and financial regulators on Monday urged banks and local authorities to use blockchain and privacy computing to upgrade the “bank-tax interaction” model and expand financing for small businesses.

The State Administration of Taxation and National Financial Regulatory Administration said in a joint policy notice that banks and taxpayers should standardize data sharing and reduce information asymmetry between tax authorities, banks and enterprises.

The report also urged banks to improve credit models, enhance credit approval efficiency and increase the supply of financing services to “honest, tax-paying enterprises.”

The directive aligns with China’s broader effort to integrate blockchain into data infrastructure, following a National Development and Reform Commission roadmap released in January 2025 targeting nationwide implementation by 2029.

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Shen Zhulin, the deputy director of the National Data Administration, said in a January 2025 press conference that China expects blockchain-based data infrastructure to attract 400 billion yuan (about $58 billion) in yearly investments.

A machine translation of a joint notice from Chinese regulators. Source: Shanghai Municipal Tax Service

Chinese regulators outline data infrastructure push with 400 billion yuan target

While China has issued strict controls on cryptocurrencies and speculative digital asset trading, it also pushed for the incorporation of blockchain initiatives in finance and data infrastructure.

In October 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the technology as an important “breakthrough” for independent innovation of core technologies, urging the acceleration of the development of blockchain-based applications and their integration in the real-world economy.

Related: Trump: US has to ‘make it so that China doesn’t get the hold‘ of crypto

In April 2021, the Shenzhen Tax Bureau expanded the country’s first blockchain electronic invoice system.

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However, in September that same year, China issued a nation-wide ban on crypto transactions and mining as part of a wider crackdown across multiple government agencies.

Top Bitcoin mining countries by hashrate. Source: Compass Mining

Despite the ban, China is still cited as the third-largest Bitcoin (BTC) mining country. In January 2026, it accounted for 11.7% of the global hashrate, according to data from Compass Mining.

Magazine: China’s ‘50x’ blockchain boost, Alibaba-linked AI mines Bitcoin: Asia Express