Welcome to the OpenSea digest. Let’s look back through the biggest NFT and web3 news of the week.

Sport.Fun launches $FUN 

Sport.Fun, a crypto-based soccer and football competition platform, has launched $FUN, a token now live on OpenSea.

According to their site, $FUN rewards players who contribute across the Sport.Fun ecosystem. Holding the token in an in-game wallet unlocks a range of perks for consistent players and long-term holders.

Moonbirds ties $BIRB token to physical collectibles strategy

Moonbirds announced on X it is positioning its $birb token as a core part of Orange Cap Games, a crypto-native collectibles company, rather than as a standalone memecoin. 

The company said birb will connect physical products such as trading cards and figurines with onchain participation, meaning activity recorded on a public blockchain ledger.

Orange Cap Games said it plans to sell those birb-branded products through established toy and hobby distributors, aiming to reach buyers outside crypto-native channels. 

The company described birb as a character meant to be collected in the real world, with the token supporting that effort over time.

Checkmate Ecosystem brings Team Secret into $CHECK token network

Team Secret, a global esports organization, announced it is joining the Checkmate Ecosystem, a blockchain-based gaming network, and will use the CHECK token across its fan and competition programs. 

According to the press release, Team Secret plans to launch a Membership Pass NFT, which is a digital membership card stored on a blockchain, to give fans access to online tournaments, ticket opportunities, and private Q&A sessions with players. 

The CHECK token will be used inside the Team Secret ecosystem for things like buying team merchandise, paying entry fees for certain tournaments, and funding some prize pools. 

The first events tied to the partnership will include Anichess tournaments, a blockchain-based chess game created by Animoca Brands and Chess.com that connects traditional gameplay with onchain participation tracking.

Visa adds stablecoin payments to Visa Direct

Visa said it will allow some businesses to send money using stablecoins, a type of digital dollar designed to keep a steady value. 

The feature will reportedly operate inside Visa Direct, Visa’s system for payment functions like payroll, gig work pay, and international transfers.

Visa is using technology from BVNK, a London-based payments company, to handle the transfers. 

According to the press release, the rollout is expected to start in select countries, with expansion based on how widely the service is used.

Sam Spratt awards ‘Toledo Mask’ to exhibition observer 

Visual artist Sam Spratt said he created and gave an artwork known as “Toledo Mask” to Eddie Wharton, a visitor who left a written response after attending Spratt’s first museum exhibition, according to a Jan. 14 post on X. 

Spratt said the work was made specifically in reply to that message, and the exchange was shared publicly with a short video showing Wharton seeing the art for the first time.

PENGU Asia partners with Michelin 3xplorer Club on community events

PENGU Asia said it has partnered with Michelin 3xplorer Club, a lifestyle and travel-focused offshoot of the Michelin brand, to host a series of in-person and digital community events tied to the Pudgy Penguins NFT project.

The partnership will build on the groups’ prior collaborations, including invitation-only events for early Pudgy Penguins holders and the release of a limited Michelin 3XPLORER NFT during a holiday campaign. 

PENGU Asia said additional events are planned later this year, with details to be announced. 

OpenSea partners with MetaMask Rewards Season 1

OpenSea has partnered with MetaMask Rewards Season 1 to award points based on where you finished in the last Wave of our rewards program. Depending on your Chest level, you might have MetaMask points waiting for you. We also have a ref code for bonus points.

The wallet you sign up with must match your corresponding OpenSea wallet where you receive your Treasure Chest.

Note: Opt-in by January 16, 2026 to get the points by a later date. 

Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or trading advice. References to specific projects, products, services, or tokens do not constitute an endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by OpenSea. OpenSea does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information presented, and readers should independently verify any claims made herein before acting on them. Readers are solely responsible for conducting their own due diligence before making any decisions.