OpenSea Appoints Chris Maddern as CTO, Christine Hall as Chief of Staff Following Rally Acquisition

OpenSea, a leading non-fungible token (NFT) trading platform, has acquired Rally, the company behind the mobile-first Rally wallet, as part of its strategic pivot to enhance comprehensive token trading capabilities. This acquisition includes significant leadership changes, with Rally CEO Chris Maddern stepping into the role of OpenSea's Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and Rally co-founder Christine Hall joining as Chief of Staff. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The move underscores OpenSea's commitment to evolving beyond an NFT marketplace into a full-scale on-chain trading platform, prioritizing a seamless mobile experience for users. OpenSea aims to integrate Rally

’s advanced wallet technology and mobile-first design to bolster its operations across 17 blockchains. This strategic integration is expected to streamline user interactions and expand the platform's utility for a broader range of digital assets.

Adam Hollander, a notable figure in the crypto space, expressed strong enthusiasm for the new additions to OpenSea's leadership. "The most exciting thing about our acquisition of Rally today is bringing on @chrismaddern and @christine_hall," Hollander stated in a tweet, adding that their inclusion is a "genuine level up for the company." He praised Maddern's ideas and thoughtful approach, and Hall's ability to add meaningful value and execute at the highest level.

Rally, formerly known as Floor, developed a crypto wallet app that combined self-custody features with social functionalities and multi-currency support, aiming to provide comprehensive portfolio insights across NFTs, tokens, and crypto. Chris Maddern previously co-founded Button and Venmo, while Christine Hall served as COO at Robinhood Crypto before joining Rally (then Floor) as COO and co-founder in 2022. Their combined experience is expected to drive OpenSea's product development and user experience.

OpenSea CEO Devin Finzer emphasized that the Rally team shares OpenSea's vision for a more accessible and enjoyable on-chain trading experience for everyone. The acquisition is poised to accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies by making engagement with digital assets simpler, safer, and more social. This strategic alignment is critical as OpenSea seeks to solidify its position in the rapidly expanding digital asset ecosystem.