Magic Eden Shifts Towards Open Source, Plans Cross-Chain Token Rewards

Major changes are underway at Magic Eden, the leading NFT marketplace across multiple blockchains.

On Monday, Magic Eden revealed plans to open source its core minting and trading protocols in collaboration with an emerging entity called the Non-Fungible DAO (NF DAO).

Additionally, Magic Eden aims to expand its existing Diamonds rewards system across chains, while the NF DAO itself intends to launch a governance token dubbed “NFT” to further incentivize marketplace usage.

This decentralized push comes as rival Tensor has rapidly eaten into Magic Eden’s dominant market share on Solana NFTs. By embracing open source development and rewarding loyal users, can Magic Eden maintain its top ranking in the expanding NFT industry?

Magic Eden general manager Tiffany Huang stated that the NF DAO plans to airdrop its NFT token to active users of the protocols under its governance. Alongside Magic Eden’s trading infrastructure, that includes cross-chain minting protocols.

Details remain scarce regarding timing and allocation specifics. Meanwhile, Magic Eden is also leveling up its Diamonds rewards program across the Solana, Ethereum, Polygon, and Bitcoin blockchains which it supports.

Diamonds are already active on Solana, and will launch on Ethereum when Magic Eden’s hotly anticipated Ethereum NFT marketplace opens later this quarter in collaboration with bluechip brand Bored Ape Yacht Club.

Expanded quests and bonuses aim to better reward loyal traders, collectors and creators alike according to various types of marketplace participation.

Who and what comprises this mysterious NF DAO remains unclear for now. Huang vaguely described it as a “community-owned” organization with historical experience launching tokens.

Magic Eden itself remains the only major backer announced. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) have sometimes sparked allegations of “decentralization theater” when launched to support specific crypto startups while avoiding regulatory scrutiny.

For example, apex NFT brand Bored Ape Yacht Club denies hands-on responsibility for last year’s heavily promoted ApeCoin token, claiming the ApeCoin DAO was solely responsible for launch and governance. s a Magic Eden affiliate.

Magic Eden has faced past criticism for closed-source code development, but Huang said this shift towards open source alignment has been long in the making. “We ultimately wanted to pick the ethos of web3 over everything,” she said.

The firm aims to release open source code for its Ethereum and Polygon trading platforms within months as part of this decentralized push.

Community developers worldwide will then be able to utilize Magic Eden’s infrastructure to create custom marketplaces for specific NFT niches or use cases, for example. This open composability can ultimately expand NFT adoption by empowering more builders, Huang contends.

Magic Eden originally favored closed source as its cross-chain presence ballooned faster than expected, she admitted, but intends to fully embrace permissionless development moving forward.

Magic Eden’s announcements arrive aschief rival Tensor continues eating market dominance on Solana NFTs, commanding up to 80% recently compared to Magic Eden’s 10%.

However, Huang claims the timing simply fits long-term strategic plans, with expanded infrastructure and a new open source commitment ready for primetime. Nonetheless, Tensor’s rapid growth and own reward mechanics likely add pressure to increase user incentives.

In my view Magic Eden’s renewed embrace of open source ideals and meaningful user rewards align perfectly with NFT and web3 ethos. Empowering more builders worldwide with accessible marketplace infrastructure unlocks creativity and customization.

Meanwhile, compensating traders and collectors helps decentralize network effects. This model offers a more sustainable path to mass adoption than closed, monolithic platforms.

Still, the path forward remains complex navigating regulatory waters while balancing decentralization purity with usability. Magic Eden must take care to nurture the protocols and rewards programs it aims to open source over the long term.

Failing to fully deliver permissionless and documented code could severely hurt community trust. Frugal token allocations or superficial rewards risk alienating loyal users.

Overall however, Magic Eden’s direction stands highly promising. If executed properly, incentivizing builders and users in a sustainable, decentralized manner can anchor the NFT marketplace as a leading industry force for years to come.

The ethically-aligned path often proves hardest in the short term, but most fulfilling long term.