- Crypto sports sponsorships have risen 22% in early 2025, with 22 deals in two months.
- Some of the high-profile deals executed include Gate.io with Red Bull Racing and Coinbase with Aston Martin.
- Cryptocurrency firms aim to boost brand visibility and mainstream adoption through sports exposure.
The intersection of cryptocurrency and sports is heating up, with new data signalling a significant surge in sponsorship deals in 2025.
According to the Financial Times, cryptocurrency companies inked 22 sports sponsorships in the first two months of this year alone, marking a 22% increase from the same period in 2024.
The average crypto sports sponsorship deal value has also climbed to $4.3 million from $2.6 million in 2024, per SportQuake data, reflecting growing investment.
This uptick reflects a growing trend of crypto firms leveraging sports’ global appeal to boost brand visibility and mainstream adoption.
At the current rate, 2025 could be on track to claim the second-highest tally ever after the record-breaking 173 cryptocurrency sports sponsorship deals of 2022.
High-profile deals drive the momentum
Major players in the crypto space are driving the momentum with high-profile partnerships across diverse sports.
Gate.io has secured a sponsorship deal with Red Bull Racing’s Formula One team, aligning its brand with the adrenaline-fueled world of motorsport.
Coinbase has also partnered with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 team, a deal notably settled entirely in USD Coin (USDC), highlighting the practical use of stablecoins in big-ticket transactions.
Football isn’t left out, either. XBO.com has become the official sponsor of the Argentina national football team, tapping into the fervour of one of the sport’s most passionate fan bases.
Tether, a leading stablecoin issuer, has also invested in Italian giants Juventus, acquiring a minority stake valued at approximately $50 million.
Interestingly, the sponsorship wave isn’t limited to exchanges and trading platforms.
In January, Sportsbet.io, a crypto casino and sports betting platform, made headlines by backing the Players Championship of Snooker.
According to a spokesperson from Casino Guru, a trusted source of information about online casinos, this strategic move by Sportsbet.io not only underscored its commitment to promoting major sporting events but also highlighted its growing influence within the international snooker community.
Notably, this diversification shows that the crypto industry’s appetite for sports exposure extends beyond its traditional players, embracing gambling platforms eager to capitalize on the overlap between betting and blockchain technology.
A strategic approach to gaining exposure
Well, many may ask why the rush into sports? The answer lies in the unparalleled exposure that sports offer.
Formula One, football, and even snooker boast audiences numbering in the millions, providing crypto companies with a captive, engaged demographic.
The crypto sports sponsorship deals broaden the scope of crypto’s influence, weaving it into niche sports and expanding its cultural footprint.
The sponsorships also offer a way to rebuild trust and normalize cryptocurrency, especially as fan engagement tools like blockchain-based rewards and NFTs gain traction.
The Coinbase-Aston Martin deal, for instance, hints at future fan initiatives on Ethereum’s Layer 2 network, Base.
As the pace picks up, the surge of cryptocurrency sports sponsorships in 2025 reflects a strategic push by crypto firms to harness the global reach of sports, solidifying their place in mainstream culture with calculated, high-impact partnerships.
