Ball in play: How sports become home arena for cryptocurrency

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How sports turn into main stage for cryptocurrency

First steps: Transfers paid in crypto

The real merger of crypto and sports began in 2018, when the Turkish club Harunustaspor made headlines by partially paying a player transfer in cryptocurrency. The deal included about 0.0524 BTC (worth €400 at the time) and an additional 2,500 Turkish lira (€960). In total, the transfer cost the club roughly €1,360, but the symbolic nature of the payment outweighed the numbers. It was proof: crypto can work in sports.

In 2021, Spanish player David Barral became the first professional footballer fully transferred using cryptocurrency. By 2022, the trend grew further: São Paulo FC acquired Giuliano Galoppo for $6 million in USDC, facilitated by the Bitso crypto exchange. It proved that digital currencies could handle multi-million-dollar deals.

Sponsorships, partnerships, and investments

Soon, crypto found its way into sponsorships. In 2018, London’s Arsenal FC partnered with CashBet Coin, becoming one of the first top clubs to welcome crypto sponsors.

From there, the scale only grew: Bitget signed a multi-million-dollar contract with La Liga, becoming its official crypto partner. In 2023, B2BinPay’s logo appeared on Athletic Club Bilbao’s iconic red-and-white jerseys — a deal so successful that it was extended into the 2025/26 season after the club qualified for the Champions League. Meanwhile, Tether Investments went even further, acquiring a stake in the legendary Juventus .

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Across Europe, the list of crypto partnerships keeps growing: Manchester City works with OKX, Tottenham entered the pitch with the same sponsor’s logo, and Atletico Madrid signed a deal with WhaleFin worth over $200 million. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For the 2024/25 season, total crypto sponsorship spending in sports reached $565 million, with nearly 60% of that amount concentrated in football.

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Fan tokens: A new language between clubs and supporters

Crypto didn’t just change finances — it reshaped the fan experience. In 2019, Juventus was the first club to launch a fan token (JUV) on the Socios platform. These tokens gave supporters the ability to vote on small but meaningful club decisions, gain exclusive rewards, and feel closer to their team.

The idea proved highly successful. Today, PSG, Barcelona, AC Milan, and dozens of other clubs have their own fan tokens. They are not just digital coins but keys to participation — a new form of democratization between clubs and fans.

NFT: From collectibles to unique experiences

At first, NFT seemed like nothing more than digital pictures. But they quickly evolved into tools for fan engagement. Clubs started issuing tokens granting access to behind-the-scenes footage, VIP events, or even training sessions with players.

One striking example is Egypt’s Al Ahly FC, which teamed up with FIFA Collect to release the “Jersey of Glory” NFT series. These featured unique jerseys worn during the club’s historic victories. Projects like this turn fans into active participants in the club’s story.

Other sports: From NFL to Formula 1

Crypto has also expanded into other sports. In American football, linebacker Russell Okung made headlines when he received half his salary in Bitcoin, while NFL star Aaron Rodgers also converted part of his contract into BTC. In boxing and UFC, crypto sponsors frequently appear on rings and fighters’ gear.Basketball followed suit: the Washington Wizards announced a deal with brokerage platform Robinhood, making it their official sponsor and brokerage partner.

In Formula 1, crypto sponsorships are now standard practice. Kraken, for example, works with both Williams Racing and McLaren, offering not just advertising but also interactive programs for fans.

The future: GameFi, DAO and salaries in crypto

Trends show that crypto will increasingly be used to pay transfer fees, salaries, and player bonuses. It’s faster, more transparent, and more convenient than traditional banking systems.

At the same time, GameFi — blockchain-based games — are growing rapidly. Fans can not only play but also earn tokens, join fantasy leagues, and trade digital assets powered by real match data.

DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) are opening even bigger doors for fan engagement. Imagine a club where token holders vote on jersey designs or even strategic decisions. This is the future of fan democracy.

Cryptocurrencies and sports have become part of one large cultural and financial transformation. From the first Bitcoin transfers to crypto logos on jerseys, from fan tokens to interactive NFTs, from multi-million-dollar sponsorship deals to future DAO-driven clubs — this union is only gaining momentum.And the key point: this is no longer just a trend or hype. Crypto is gradually becoming a natural part of the sports world, transforming not only finances, but also the very experience of being a fan.

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