An electrode assembly and a rechargeable battery including the same are disclosed. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of unit cells overlapping in a thickness direction of the plurality of unit cells and a functional unit cell disposed with the plurality of unit cells. The functional unit cell includes a positive electrode. The positive electrode includes a positive current collector, a positive active material layer on at least one surface of the positive current collector and including a positive active material having a first reference potential, and a functional layer on the positive active material layer and including an active material having a lower reference potential than the first reference potential.