
OpenSea
A startup valued at $13B for selling NFTs.
First Mentioned
6/6/2026, 5:26:13 AM
Last Updated
6/6/2026, 5:28:48 AM
Research Retrieved
6/6/2026, 5:28:48 AM
Summary
OpenSea is an American digital asset platform and the largest marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), founded in December 2017 by Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah. Headquartered in Miami, United States, the platform operates as a non-custodial peer-to-peer protocol that allows users to trade, mint, and manage digital assets across multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana. In the context of macroeconomic discussions, OpenSea has been highlighted as a prominent example of the extreme overvaluations and excesses characteristic of the Zero Interest Rate Policy (ZIRP) era. Despite market fluctuations, OpenSea has continued to expand its services, launching its rebuilt platform, OS2, in 2025 to facilitate cryptocurrency trading alongside its core NFT offerings.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Key People
Devin Finzer (CEO), Chris Maddern (CTO)
Co-Founders
Devin Finzer, Alex Atallah
Active Users
More than 3 million active users as of January 2024
Headquarters
Miami, United States
Core Products
Non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, cryptocurrency trading (OS2 platform)
Founding Date
2017-12-20
Market Volume
Over $20 billion (USD) cumulative market volume as of January 2024
Daily Trading Volume
Approximately $4.5 million (USD) as of January 2024
ZIRP Era Association
Cited as an example of extreme overvaluation and speculative excess during the Zero Interest Rate Policy era
Supported Blockchains
Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Klaytn, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, Zora Network, Base, Blast
Timeline
- OpenSea is founded by Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah, inspired by the blockchain game CryptoKitties. (Source: Wikipedia)
2017-12-20
- OpenSea is accepted into the Y Combinator accelerator program to support its early-stage development. (Source: Wikipedia)
2018-01-01
- OpenSea raises $2.1 million (USD) in venture capital funding following the completion of its pre-seed round. (Source: Wikipedia)
2019-11-01
- OpenSea maintains its position as the leading NFT marketplace, recording over 3 million active users, a daily trading volume of $4.5 million (USD), and a cumulative market volume exceeding $20 billion (USD). (Source: Investopedia)
2024-01-01
- Following the release of its rebuilt platform OS2, OpenSea processes $1.6 billion (USD) in cryptocurrency trades and $230 million (USD) in NFT transactions during the first two weeks of October. (Source: Wikipedia)
2025-10-01
- OpenSea serves as an official partner of Art Basel Miami Beach, sponsoring a curated digital art section titled Zero 10 featuring artists like Beeple. (Source: Wikipedia)
2025-12-01
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaOpenSea
OpenSea is an American digital asset platform founded in 2017 by Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah. It facilitates the trading of cryptocurrencies and the buying, selling, and minting of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) across a range of blockchains. Headquartered in Miami, OpenSea supports fixed-price sales and auctions for digital assets including artwork, music, gaming items, and domain names. Originally launched as a peer-to-peer platform, OpenSea grew into one of the largest NFT marketplaces, further expanding with its 2025 release of OS2, a rebuilt version of the platform, allowing the trading of cryptocurrencies.
Web Search Results
- OpenSea - Wikipedia
Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia ## Contents # OpenSea OpenSea | | | --- | | | | | Company type | Private | | Founded | 2017; 9 years ago (2017) | | Headquarters | Miami , United States | | Area served | Worldwide | | Key people | Devin Finzer (CEO) Chris Maddern (CTO) | | Website | opensea.io | OpenSea is an American digital asset platform founded in 2017 by Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah. It facilitates the trading of cryptocurrencies and the buying, selling, and minting of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) across a range of blockchains. Headquartered in Miami, OpenSea supports fixed-price sales and auctions for digital assets including artwork, music, gaming items, and domain names. [...] Originally launched as a peer-to-peer platform, OpenSea grew into one of the largest NFT marketplaces, further expanding with its 2025 release of OS2, a rebuilt version of the platform, allowing the trading of cryptocurrencies. ## History ### Founding and initial growth (2017–2021) Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah founded OpenSea in December 2017. They were inspired by CryptoKitties, a blockchain-based game featuring non-fungible tokens that had been released earlier that year. Y Combinator accepted OpenSea into its accelerator program in 2018. After finishing the pre-seed round by Y Combinator, OpenSea raised $2.1 million in venture capital in November 2019. [...] Through the first two weeks of October 2025, following the release of OS2, OpenSea processed $1.6 billion in cryptocurrency trades and $230 million in NFT transactions. In December 2025, OpenSea was an official partner of Art Basel Miami Beach, sponsoring a curated section of digital art titled Zero 10. The section was curated by Eli Scheinman, and featured multiple exhibitors, including Beeple and his installation, Regular Animals, which displayed humanoid robots with hyper-realistic heads of prominent individuals in tech and art, like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Picasso. ### Features
- OpenSea: The Largest NFT Marketplace Explained
## What Is OpenSea? OpenSea is a decentralized marketplace that allows users to buy, sell, and trade NFTs (non-fungible tokens). An NFT is a unique digital asset that represents ownership of a specific item or piece of content—such as artwork, music, videos, virtual real estate, or in-game items—on a blockchain. Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are interchangeable (fungible), each NFT is one-of-a-kind. Founded in 2017, OpenSea operates on blockchain technology, primarily using the Ethereum network. It supports various types of NFTs and has become a central hub for creators and collectors alike. ## How Does OpenSea Work? OpenSea functions similarly to an online marketplace like eBay or Amazon but for digital collectibles. Here's how it works: [...] ## Getting Started with OpenSea If you're new to NFTs and want to explore OpenSea safely and effectively, follow these steps: 1. Create a Crypto Wallet Popular options include MetaMask or WalletConnect-compatible wallets. 2. Add Cryptocurrency Purchase ETH (Ethereum) through a regulated exchange and transfer it to your wallet. 3. Connect Your Wallet Visit opensea.io (or similar domain) and link your wallet securely. 4. Explore Listings Browse categories or search for specific creators/collections. 5. Buy or Bid Choose between fixed-price purchases or auction-style bids. 6. Manage Your Collection View owned items directly from your profile dashboard. Always double-check URLs and avoid phishing attempts when connecting your wallet. [...] ## Conclusion OpenSea has emerged as the largest NFT marketplace by offering an accessible gateway into the world of non-fungible tokens. By supporting diverse asset types and providing tools for both creators and collectors, it plays a vital role in shaping the future of digital ownership. Now that you have a foundational understanding of what OpenSea is and how it operates, you’re better equipped to explore its offerings safely. Remember always to use secure wallets and choose compliant platforms that prioritize user protection through proper licensing, robust security measures, and transparent operations. Happy exploring! ## Start your safe cryptocurrency journey now Fast and secure deposits and withdrawals, OSL safeguards every transaction ! Disclaimer Share Get up to
- What Is OpenSea?
## The Bottom Line OpenSea is the largest NFT marketplace, offering a channel for thousands of creators, traders, and buyers to interact. Users can produce, sell, or buy art, collectibles, real estate, in-game, and sports assets on the OpenSea listing page. Newer NFT platforms such as Rarible, LooksRare, Magic Eden, Binance NFT, and Nifty Gateway are becoming competitive against OpenSea. But as of January 2024, OpenSea remained the leading NFT marketplace with a market volume of more than $20 billion, and it is expected to retain a considerable market share in the future.2 [...] Learn about our editorial policies ## What Is OpenSea? OpenSea is a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace that offers users the ability to buy, sell, create, and trade NFTs. It is the largest NFT trading platform, with more than three million active users and a daily trading volume of about $4.5 million as of January 2024.1 ### Key Takeaways OpenSea is a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace where users can buy, sell, or create NFTs. It is a non-custodial platform, allowing users full control and access to their cryptocurrency wallets. Users interact directly with each other to buy or sell NFTs individually or in bundles. Get personalized, AI-powered answers built on 27+ years of trusted expertise. ## Understanding OpenSea [...] ## Understanding OpenSea OpenSea prides itself on being the first and largest NFT platform to provide essential NFT services. Before it was created in 2017, there was no platform for users to trade different NFTs easily. OpenSea was created as a solution to allow users to trade crypto collectibles and other NFTs with one another.2 The desktop and mobile dashboards open with two prompts to explore NFTs or create a new crypto wallet. Or, if you already have a crypto wallet, you can connect it to the platform. You can explore the vast array of more than 2 million NFT collections or create your own.2 OpenSea supports various categories of NFTs, ranging from art, music, collectibles, virtual lands, sports assets, domain names, and utility NFTs like membership passes.
- What Is OpenSea NFT Marketplace? – ChainUp: Leading Provider of Digital Asset Exchange & Custody Solutions
However, unlike traditional e-commerce platforms, OpenSea doesn’t hold custody of your assets. It acts as a non-custodial peer-to-peer protocol that allows users to trade directly from their crypto wallets. Founded in 2017 by Devin Finzer and Alex Atallah, OpenSea played a central role in mainstreaming NFTs. It facilitated the initial explosion of digital art, gaming assets, and profile picture (PFP) collections. Over time, it has evolved from a simple Ethereum-based storefront into a broad crypto hub. Today, OpenSea is a multichain marketplace, supporting major blockchains like Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Klaytn, Arbitrum, and Optimism. [...] OpenSea has not only kept pace with this rapid evolution but has also driven it, leveraging its multichain infrastructure, expansive reach, and cutting-edge discovery tools. Whether you’re a gamer unlocking new in-game economies or a brand building loyalty through Web3, OpenSea remains the cornerstone of this dynamic ecosystem. This guide unpacks how OpenSea works, why it’s essential for buyers and sellers, and what makes it a leader in the ever-expanding world of NFTs. ## What Is OpenSea? A Multichain Marketplace for Digital Ownership At its core, OpenSea is a decentralized marketplace for minting, listing, buying, and selling NFTs. Think of it as the eBay or Amazon of the Web3 world, a massive aggregator where users can trade unique digital items. [...] Picture of ChainUp What Is OpenSea NFT Marketplace? Since 2017, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have transformed from a niche curiosity into a multi-billion-dollar industry, reshaping how we think about ownership in the digital age. At the heart of this revolution is OpenSea, the platform that has empowered creators, collectors, and brands to explore the limitless potential of NFTs. While it started as a hub for digital art, the NFT landscape has evolved dramatically, spanning gaming assets, GameFi innovations, and even real-world applications.
- OpenSea NFT: Beginner’s Guide (April 2026) | CoinLedger
## What is OpenSea and how does it work? OpenSea is one of the most popular NFT (non-fungible token) marketplaces in the world! OpenSea was launched in 2016 and today sees transaction volume of more than $30 billion per day. OpenSea supports a wide range of NFTs, including the following: Trading card NFTs NFT artwork Music NFTs Sports card NFTs Domain name NFTs Virtual land Currently, OpenSea supports the following blockchains. Ethereum Polygon Klaytn Arbitrum Optimism Avalanche Zora Network Base Blast ## What is an NFT marketplace? OpenSea and other NFT marketplaces like Magic Eden are designed to make it easy to exchange NFTs. [...] ## Is OpenSea the best NFT marketplace? OpenSea is considered one of the best NFT marketplaces due to its large user base and user-friendly interface. It’s a great choice for a beginner looking for an easy way to get started with NFTs! However, OpenSea has been criticized for its relatively high fees. The company has also faced criticism for being a centralized company — while other competitors are taking steps to be run by community-owned DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations). ### What are some alternatives to OpenSea? Let’s walk through some popular OpenSea alternatives. [...] info Our Editorial Standards: Our content is designed to educate the 500,000+ crypto investors who use the CoinLedger platform. Though our articles are for informational purposes only, they are written in accordance with the latest guidelines from tax agencies around the world and reviewed by certified tax professionals before publication. Learn More on this page close ### Key Takeaways OpenSea is an NFT marketplace that allows you to buy, sell, and trade NFTs! OpenSea is a beginner-friendly platform! The best ways to make money on OpenSea involve flipping NFTs or creating your own NFTs! Want to buy, sell, and trade NFTs on OpenSea? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to get started! ## What is OpenSea and how does it work?
Wikidata
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Country
Founder
Instance Of
Inception Date
12/20/2017
DBPedia
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Location Data
OpenSea, Via del Marinaio d'Italia, Milazzo, Messina, Sicilia, 98057, Italia
Coordinates: 38.2278326, 15.2361328
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