OpenSea plans to make creator fees optional for new collections from August 31 and enforce creators' preferred fees on all secondary sales through February 2024
OpenSea had previously said it would continue enforcing royalties after other NFT marketplaces changed their structures. The later shift came after Blur’s no-fee model pressured OpenSea to cut its own marketplace fees, making creator-fee enforcement a competitive variable rather than a settled platform rule.
The policy creates a split regime: new collections enter under optional creator fees, while existing secondary sales retain enforcement only through February 2024. That transition matters because royalties had been a meaningful source of creator compensation across collections, not only the largest ones.
First-order effects
Creators launching new collections on OpenSea lose a guaranteed platform-enforced payment on secondary sales, while traders gain more discretion over whether to pay those fees.
Owners and traders of existing collections retain OpenSea enforcement of creator-set fees through February 2024, giving those collections a temporary continuity period.
Second-order effects
Marketplaces that had already altered royalty policies gain validation for competing on lower all-in trading costs; OpenSea can reduce friction for fee-sensitive trading while preserving a temporary commitment to existing collections.
If optional royalties become the durable norm, NFT marketplaces may compete less on enforcing creator economics and more on liquidity, fees, and trading experience, shifting more of creators’ revenue models away from secondary-sale payments.
The February 2024 cutoff illustrates that royalty policy can become transitional and collection-specific rather than a marketplace-wide standard, though the corpus does not establish what policy will follow.
The trend: NFT marketplaces are moving from uniform royalty enforcement toward fee structures shaped by liquidity competition and trader price sensitivity.
Not collecting and paying royalties on NFT sales is a HUGE mistake by @opensea. It diminished trust in the platform and hurts the industry. And I say this as an @opensea investor @DevinFinzer
Opensea is removing ALL creator royalties This is a massive mistake. They still have a 2.5% fee for themselves which means traders will still continue to use blur but now artists who relied on opensea to sell their art are being even further screwed Big L [image]
Hey @opensea! Are you removing your OpenSea fee or are you only focused on bending over the creators who supported you? Are you still enforcing the 2.5%? Why would anyone continue to support you when they can pivot to Blur now? You're removing the thing that made you unique.
GEN1 NFTs ARE DEAD💀 OpenSea optional fees are THE final capitulation. Expect an exodus of collection makers as their only revenue option now diluting their collections or rugs. The future is Gen2 gaming NFTs + enforced ecosystems! The present is dark, future is bright! [image]
Got an interesting email from @opensea. If I understand correctly you can add a creator fee. I know @ENSMaxisNFT is against it, but what if they added a fee and used those funds to sweep the #ENSMaxisNFT floor as needed. #ENSMaxis [image]
GM ☀️ Yesterday, OpenSea introduced optional royalties on all collections Meaning that less and less projects will survive Bullish on those who operate like real businesses Credits to @FeralBorne_Art for capturing my research on project that is here to stay 👇 [image]
Opensea: “To be clear, creator fees aren't going away - the ineffective, unilateral enforcement of them is.” Also Opensea: “To be clear, our 2.5% marketplace fee isn't going away - it will be effectively, and unilaterally enforced so we can keep making that sweet sweet cash.” [im…