The integration of crypto business into the sports industry has become one of the most powerful trends in recent years. According to a recent report by SportQuake, crypto brands’ investments in sports sponsorship have increased by 20% over the year and have already exceeded $565 million. From supporting leading clubs to launching fan tokens, crypto companies are increasingly entering the world of leading sports leagues. But what makes sports and crypto such natural partners?

Sports is one of the most powerful and large-scale industries that unites billions of fans around the world. That is why crypto businesses seeking rapid growth and entry into new markets are increasingly choosing sports as an ideal platform to promote their products and services. The global audience of sporting events opens the door to millions of potential users who are ready to learn and implement innovations in their lives.

The combination of sports and cryptocurrencies is not accidental, as these two industries naturally complement each other.

1. The scale and reach of sports can hardly be overestimated — billions of people follow their favourite teams, players, and events, creating a powerful platform for promoting crypto assets among different age and social groups;

2. The sports industry is characterised by high media exposure — regular broadcasts, social media activity — all of which help to increase the awareness of crypto brands among the fan base.

3. The emotional component is equally important. Fans often perceive sports as another part of their lives, which creates ideal conditions for the integration of crypto. Emotions support the desire to participate, collect, interact with brands, and create a deeper connection between crypto businesses and their audiences.

Therefore, sports not only attracts crypto businesses, but also provides a unique platform for development, innovation, and engagement of billions of people around the world.

In particular, there are several main formats of cooperation that demonstrate how crypto and sports can mutually reinforce each other.

Partnerships between crypto exchanges and leading sports clubs have long ceased to be just a marketing ploy — they are a powerful tool for strengthening the brand, expanding the audience, and creating new forms of interaction with fans. Such collaborations not only increase the awareness of the platforms but also have a positive impact on the reputation of the exchanges, which, in turn, is often reflected in the value of their native tokens and overall capitalization.

A striking example is the cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com, which is actively expanding in the sports sector: from partnerships with the NBA and Formula 1 to sponsorship of AC Milan. In 2021, the company obtained the rights to brand the Los Angeles Kings arena, which is now called Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Centre). Following this high-profile news, the number of active addresses of holders of the exchange’s native token, CRO, increased from 2,000 to almost 10,000, which indicates a growing interest and engagement of the community. In August 2024, Crypto.com became the first global crypto partner of the UEFA Champions League, gaining the opportunity to integrate the brand into match broadcasts and organise unique fan activations at stadiums. The company’s total sports investments are estimated at $213 million and its capitalization is $78 billion.

Another case is WhiteBIT, which has been the official crypto partner of FC Barcelona since 2022. Since then, the company’s logo has appeared at the team’s official events, been placed on various sports platforms of the club, and adorned LED lines during El Clásico in honour of the winner of the first global trading tournament — ICTC. In addition, in cooperation with the Barça Innovation Hub, an educational project on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies was launched. WhiteBIT’s total investment in sports is about $13 million, and its capitalization is $38.9 billion. In particular, the company demonstrated a new level of partnership on 16 June 2025 by signing a three-year contract with Juventus Football Club. Following the announcement of this agreement, the price of the exchange’s native token, WhiteBIT Coin (WBT), increased by 35%, reaching a new all-time high of $52.27, and the exchange’s capitalization approached $40 billion.

OKX is no less ambitious, as it became the official crypto partner of Manchester City back in 2022. This cooperation immediately gave a noticeable boost to the OKB token, whose price began to rise on the back of this news. In 2023, OKX introduced the OKX Collective virtual fan space, where fans could join exclusive activities with the club’s stars. In the same year, the company sponsored the sleeves of the men’s and women’s teams. And in April 2024, Manchester City launched the NFT collection with unique T-shirts and activities for fans, further strengthening the brand’s position in the market. OKX’s total investment in sports reached $71 million, and the company’s capitalization exceeded $45.9 billion.

the integration of crypto business into sports is not just a marketing but a strategic step that increases the capitalization of companies, expands their audience and strengthens their market positions. Sports with its massive popularity, emotions, and media activity becomes an ideal platform for new web3 solutions. Therefore, we can expect that this trend will only intensify in the coming years, and the capitalization of crypto companies that competently integrate into the sports ecosystem will grow along with the popularity of their favourite teams.