London-based esports organisation Fnatic has announced a 5-year deal with cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com worth $15 million (~£10.8 million).
The partnership will see the cryptocurrency site become Fnatic’s inaugural Global Cryptocurrency Partner.
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The partnership marks Crypto.com’s entrance into the esports industry. The cryptocurrency firm is rapidly expanding its portfolio of partners, which already includes leading sports brands such as Paris Saint-Germain, UFC, Formula 1, and Lega Serie A, amongst others.
The multi-year ‘historic’ deal with Fnatic will enable Crypto.com, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, to seamlessly engage with Fnatic’s digitally-native audience, according to a release.
The multi-faceted partnership will see Crypto.com’s logo featured on the collarbone of Fnatic’s team jerseys. Fnatic will also offer fans numerous rewards and experiences for Crypto.com users purchasing Fnatic goods.
Through the partnership, the two brands will additionally offer exclusive Fnatic NFTs in the near future, as well as financial literacy and crypto education opportunities for those that are new to cryptocurrencies and NFTs.
Moreover, Crypto.com will work with Fnatic on a variety of activations alongside Fnatic’s esports teams, players and creators. This will include collaborative storytelling with existing Crypto.com partners, gaming content, branded in-game experiences, and physical events, according to the release.
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Fnatic CEO Sam Mathews commented: “This partnership sees global leaders in esports and cryptocurrency join forces for a ground-breaking, long-term partnership. Fnatic boasts one of the most connected, involved and supportive fan bases in the world and this landmark deal with Crypto.com allows us to further cater to their everyday needs.
“As cryptocurrency becomes a mainstream payment method, there’s never been a better time to help our fans make smarter, healthier and future-proof cryptocurrency decisions.”
Crypto.com has 10 million customers worldwide. It counts itself within the top ten finance apps on both the App Store and Google Play, according to the release.
Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of Crypto.com, commented on the partnership: “We’re really excited to launch a fully integrated partnership with Fnatic, which marks a milestone for our industry. With more than 200 championships, their team has excelled in-game and out, and rightfully established itself as the leading team in esports.”
2021 has seen a deluge of partnerships between esports companies and cryptocurrency exchanges. In June, cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX announced a $210 million (~£153 million) 10-year naming rights agreement with esports organisation TSM.
Astralis, NaVi, and BIG all inked partnerships with major crypto exchanges in August alone.
Esports Insider says: 2021 really is the year of the blockchain in esports. Cryptocurrency exchanges have been plastering their branding on names and jerseys across the esports space as they seek to cash in on the valuable overlap between esports and crypto audiences. With a 5-year, £11m deal with Fnatic, Crypto.com have catapulted themselves directly into the esports limelight – and likely made Fnatic happy in the process.