SEI powers Sei, a Proof-of-Stake Layer-1 blockchain with a parallelised EVM built for fast trading. It pays gas fees, secures the chain through staking and gives holders a governance vote.

SEI doesn't have to stay in the crypto ecosystem. At Polkastarter, SEI holders can also shop for physical collectibles, such as trading cards, sealed products, and video games. New users can claim a free mystery pack when they sign up.

Travel is one of the most useful options. CoinBooking lets SEI holders book hotels and flights at prices up to 30% below Booking.com. New users can also get $25 off their first booking.

Here are six ways to use SEI in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• Physical collectibles are available to SEI holders through Polkastarter, including verified trading cards, sealed products and video games. New users can also claim a free mystery pack.
• CoinBooking takes SEI for hotel and flight bookings, at prices up to 30% below Booking.com. New users can also get $25 off their first booking.
• Within Sei, SEI pays gas fees, is delegated to validators to secure the chain, and gives holders a vote in governance. The Giga roadmap, announced in May 2026, targets 200,000 transactions per second.
• Supported crypto debit cards can bring SEI into everyday spending. Mastercard-linked cards are accepted at millions of merchants wherever the issuer supports both the card and SEI.
• SEI can also be used for gift cards, prepaid products, and mobile top-ups from more than 5,000 brands across 185+ countries through Coinsbee.

What Is Sei (SEI)?

Sei is a Proof-of-Stake Layer-1 blockchain built for fast trading and other high-volume applications. The project launched its mainnet in August 2023, and the Sei V2 upgrade added a parallelised EVM in July 2024.

The network is developed by Sei Labs, the company co-founded by Jeff Feng and Jayendra Jog, while the Sei Development Foundation works with the wider ecosystem.

SEI is used for gas fees, staking and governance. The maximum supply is 10 billion SEI, with about 7.58 billion in circulation, and the token trades on exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase, Upbit and Kraken.

How Does Sei (SEI) Work?

Sei is a Proof-of-Stake blockchain where validators, backed by staked SEI, propose and confirm blocks. Its execution layer uses optimistic parallelisation: it processes transactions at the same time and only re-runs the ones that touch the same data, which keeps the chain fast when activity rises.

Developers deploy standard EVM smart contracts, so Ethereum wallets and tools work on Sei. Inside that system, SEI pays the gas for every transaction, is delegated to validators to secure the network in return for rewards, and carries voting power on governance proposals.

Sei is a good fit if you want EVM apps that don't slow down when they get busy. It runs transactions in parallel and only re-runs the ones that clash, so things stay quick. If you delegate your SEI to a validator, you earn rewards, and the same tokens give you a vote on proposals.

1. Buy Physical Collectibles With SEI on Polkastarter

Polkastarter lets SEI holders access authenticated physical collectibles, including trading cards, sealed products, video games, and other items. The items are authenticated and stored professionally, with ownership recorded on-chain.

Depending on the platform's available options, you can request delivery of your items or sell them through the marketplace. SEI is not accepted directly at checkout, so holders will need to swap it for a supported cryptocurrency first.

Once the account is funded, you can browse available collectibles and Lootboxes, with details on contents, value, and odds provided before purchase. New users can get a free mystery pack after signing up.

You can check the Polkastarter marketplace for current inventory and supported payment options.

What stands out to me about Polkastarter is how clear it is about what you're getting. Before you pay for any Lootbox, you can check the contents, the value and the odds. If you enjoy collecting, that makes it a lot easier to decide where your SEI should go.

2. Book Hotels and Flights With SEI on CoinBooking

Your SEI can do more than simply sit in a wallet. CoinBooking lets you book hotels and flights for up to 30% less than Booking.com, accepting SEI along with 200+ other cryptocurrencies. As a leading Dubai-licensed travel broker, CoinBooking gives SEI holders access to over 2 million hotels and flights in 190+ countries.

SEI can be used directly for the booking, so there's no need to convert it to fiat first. CoinBooking also accepts Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, giving travellers several payment options.

For regular travellers, those savings can add up fast. First-time users can also get $25 off their first booking.

What I like about CoinBooking is that you don't need to cash out first. If a trip is already on your calendar, you pay for the hotel or flight with your SEI right at checkout, and it can cost up to 30% less than on Booking.com.

3. Use SEI Across the Sei Network

SEI has its most direct utility on the Sei network itself. Holders can stake it by delegating to a validator, which helps secure the chain and earns staking rewards, and every transaction on the network pays its gas in SEI.

The token also carries voting power in governance. In 2025, the community approved SIP-3, a proposal to remove Sei's CosmWasm and native Cosmos transactions and make it an EVM-only chain, where only EVM addresses can start transactions.

Sei V2, live since July 2024, brought EVM apps to the chain, and daily active users passed 1 million on 9 August 2025. On 29 May 2026, Sei announced its Giga roadmap, which targets 200,000 transactions per second through the Autobahn consensus, the Ares execution client and Eidos state management, with SEI remaining the native gas, fee and staking asset.

Staking SEI is a good fit if you're on Sei for the long run. You delegate your tokens to a validator, earn rewards, and keep a vote in governance while the network moves toward Giga. And since every transaction pays its gas in SEI, it's worth keeping a little unstaked for fees.

4. Spend SEI With a Crypto Card

SEI can also be put toward everyday spending with crypto payment cards. Depending on the provider, you can use the card to pay online, shop wherever Visa or Mastercard is accepted, and make mobile payments via Apple Pay and Google Pay.

RedotPay is available in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, though not to US residents. KAST offers virtual and physical cards, and Ether.fi combines self-custody with cashback on eligible purchases.

To begin, choose a provider that supports your location, fund the account with SEI, and order a card. Check each provider's fees, features, and availability before signing up.

What I like about crypto cards is that they work wherever you already shop. You fund your account with SEI, order the card, and pay anywhere Visa or Mastercard is accepted. If you live outside the US, RedotPay covers Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, and KAST gives you a virtual card alongside a physical one.

5. Buy Gift Cards and Everyday Products With SEI on Coinsbee

Coinsbee opens up everyday purchases for SEI. It supports over 200 cryptocurrencies and provides gift cards, prepaid products, and mobile top-ups from more than 5,000 brands across 185+ countries.

Supported categories include shopping, groceries, gaming, travel, food delivery, and entertainment. To buy, select a supported brand and denomination, choose SEI as the payment method, and complete the transaction. Once it's confirmed, your digital code is sent through Coinsbee's delivery process.

Ranges vary from one country to the next, so it's worth checking the catalogue for your region first.

What stands out to me about Coinsbee is the range. With over 5,000 brands across 185+ countries, there's almost always a gift card or a top-up for what you need. You pick the amount, pay with SEI, and the code is yours once the payment goes through.

6. Access Early-Stage Token Sales Through CoinTerminal

SEI holders can also use CoinTerminal to join early-stage token sales before the projects reach exchanges. Contributions start from $100, and there is no staking requirement to participate in a sale.

SEI isn't accepted directly, so you'll need to swap it into the asset required for the sale, usually USDT. Each launch also includes a refund window, with the applicable terms set for that sale.

You can check CoinTerminal for the launches currently available and their individual terms.

This makes sense if you'd like your SEI working on something new. You convert it into USDT, pick a sale on CoinTerminal, and take part from $100 with no staking requirement. And if you change your mind, there's a refund window for each launch.

Sources

• Revolut, Polkastarter (POLS) Price Today
• CoinMarketCap, Polkastarter trade volume and market listings
• Binance Academy, What Is Polkastarter (POLS)?
• Sei, Official Sei website and overview of the SEI ecosystem
• CoinMarketCap, Sei (SEI) price, market capitalisation and live token data

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is SEI coin?

SEI is the native token of Sei, a Proof-of-Stake Layer-1 blockchain with a parallelised EVM, developed by Sei Labs and live on mainnet since August 2023. SEI pays gas fees, is delegated to validators to secure the network, and gives holders a vote in governance. The maximum supply is 10 billion SEI.

2. Can I book hotels and flights with SEI?

Yes. Through CoinBooking, a Dubai-licensed crypto travel platform, SEI holders can choose from more than 2 million hotels and flights in over 190 countries at prices up to 30% cheaper than Booking.com. You can pay with crypto, Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, and first-time users can claim $25 off their first booking.

3. What is happening with Sei crypto?

Sei is going through two major changes. SIP-3, approved by the community in 2025, removes the network's CosmWasm and native Cosmos transactions to make Sei an EVM-only chain. On 29 May 2026, Sei also announced its Giga roadmap, which targets 200,000 transactions per second and 400ms finality through the Autobahn consensus.

4. Why did Sei drop?

Price moves rarely have a single cause, and this is not investment advice. CoinMarketCap data puts SEI at around $0.07, about 94% below its all-time high of $1.14 from March 2024. Circulating supply has also grown, with about 7.58 billion of the 10 billion maximum SEI now in circulation and the rest released on a vesting schedule.

5. Is Sei crypto a good buy?

No one can reliably predict token prices, and this is not investment advice. What SEI is built for is running the Sei network: it pays gas on a parallelised EVM chain, earns staking rewards when delegated to validators, and carries governance votes. Whether that fits your goals and risk appetite is a decision only you can make.