Magic Eden Slingshot acquisition is a bold move aiming to reshape how users trade crypto and NFTs across chains.
Magic Eden, a prominent NFT marketplace, has announced its acquisition of Slingshot, a trading app that lets users trade tokens using a unified USDC balance. This development eliminates the need for multiple wallets, bridges, or juggling gas fees. By acquiring Slingshot, Magic Eden is expanding well beyond its Solana roots to support assets across all major blockchain protocols, including Bitcoin.
Jack Lu, CEO and Co-Founder of Magic Eden, emphasized this move as a major step toward a safer, smoother multi-chain trading experience. With this acquisition, Magic Eden plans to integrate fiat-to-crypto on-ramps through platforms like Apple Pay and Venmo. The company also plans to roll out AI-powered tools to simplify token discovery and improve the user trading experience.
Expanding from NFTs to full-stack crypto trading
Slingshot brings valuable abstraction technology that reduces user friction. Its design aligns perfectly with Magic Eden’s aim to become a centralized hub for decentralized assets. Lu highlighted how the Slingshot team’s product-driven mindset pairs well with Magic Eden’s strengths in scaling and marketing.
This acquisition not only enhances crypto usability but also positions Magic Eden to compete directly with centralized exchanges. Despite the ongoing NFT market slump, Magic Eden generated $75 million in revenue in 2024, showing resilience and long-term commitment.
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Magic Eden Slingshot acquisition bridges Web2 payment tools with Web3 assets
Another major value driver of the Magic Eden Slingshot acquisition is the fiat integration. Making crypto more accessible through payment methods like Apple Pay and Venmo reduces entry barriers. This could bring in Web2 users unfamiliar with crypto wallets and technical processes.
AI-assisted discovery features are also in development. These tools will help users navigate thousands of tokens with ease, unlocking smarter, more intuitive trading flows.
NFT volumes fell by 19% in 2024, and marketplaces like X2Y2 are shutting down. Still, Magic Eden continues building aggressively. This acquisition shows that it believes the future lies in cross-chain liquidity and trading simplicity, not just speculative JPEGs.
By acquiring Slingshot, Magic Eden is setting a new standard for what an NFT platform can be.