The World’s Biggest Video Game Skins Site Raised $41 Million With Crypto Tokens

Sam Alexander has spent days at a time in front of the three giant monitors hooked up to his PC, comparison-shopping for “skins,” decorations for virtual guns and knives. In games such as the popular shooter Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the most sought-after skins confer the kind of prestige that a Rolex watch or Hermès bag would on the street—and can sell for more than $100,000 in real-world cash. But because there are dozens of skins marketplaces online, it can be tough to tell if you’re getting the lowest price; people like Alexander have made a brisk business comparison-shopping on behalf of rich clients. Alexander, 21, says he’s earned “more than an average person makes in a year” from commissions he negotiates with each buyer.

“It’s difficult for them to find the exact items that they want—there’s no centralized database,” he says. His customers also struggle often with payment methods at the main online venues. “Many of the collectors with whom I work are located in China. It is difficult for them to transfer money out.”