OpenSea Pledges $1M to Launch First NFT Reserve

- Launches over $1 million initiative for culturally significant NFT reserve. - Kicks off project with acquisition of CryptoPunk #5273 as highlight purchase. OpenSea, the leading NFT exchange, has announced an over $1 million initiative to create its first formal reserve of culturally significant NFTs. Known as the "Flagship Collection," the project aims to preserve culturally impactful digital assets. On September 8, 2025, Crypto Briefing reported that the collection's inaugural acquisition is CryptoPunk #5273. This venture underscores OpenSea’s commitment to championing digital creativity in the blockchain space and promoting NFT culture during challenging market times. On September 15, the platform is also launching the final stage of its pre-Token Generation Event (TGE) rewards program. This gamified initiative dedicates 50% of platform fees to a prize vault, which has been seeded with $1 million in OP and ARB tokens. Users who engage with the marketplace will receive a "Starter Treasure Chest," an NFT reward they can level up for a bigger share of rewards. This approach seeks to drive user engagement while delivering tangible outcomes through token-based incentives. OpenSea also plans to launch its SEA token. The OpenSea Foundation expects to provide further updates in October. Additionally, the company has unveiled its upcoming OpenSea Mobile app, which will feature AI-powered trading functionalities and cross-platform portfolio management tools. The app's beta release signals OpenSea's push to enhance accessibility and provide advanced resources for traders across the NFT ecosystem. According to data from CoinMarketCap on September 8 at 18:15 UTC, Arbitrum (ARB) was trading at $0.505, and its 24-hour trading volume was up 3.403%. Meanwhile, Optimism (OP) was priced at $0.749, an increase of 5.046% over the same timeframe.