Crypto sports sponsorship is cautiously rebounding in 2024, signaling a modest revival from the downturn following the boom in 2021. Despite these signs of recovery, the sector still falls short of reaching the highs witnessed during the peak year.

The increase in sports sponsorship also indicates a recovery of the crypto market. Brands are sponsoring sports teams because they have additional funds available for such marketing activities.

The crypto industry started heavily investing in sports sponsorship in 2021. During that year, the industry saw an unprecedented expansion with 42 new deals, representing 45.6% of the total 92 sports sponsorships from 2021 to 2024.

This growth was propelled by a bullish digital currency market, which led to significant agreements. Notably, Crypto.com secured a $700 million deal for the naming rights of Staples Center, renaming it to Crypto.com Arena.

Additionally, FTX entered into a $210 million sponsorship with esports group Team SoloMid. The aggressive sponsorship came as firms sought mainstream visibility and adoption.

Read more: 14 Best Crypto Marketing Agencies for 2024

However, the narrative shifted drastically in 2022 with the market’s downturn. The sector saw a severe reduction in new deals, dropping to 25. The collapse of FTX, previously a key player, led to canceled deals, including its partnerships with the Miami Heat and other sports platforms.

Despite the downturn, some firms like Bybit and Vechain managed to secure substantial agreements; Bybit secured a $150 million deal with Red Bull Racing, and Vechain signed a $100 million contract with UFC.

The downward trend persisted into 2023, with only 8 new sponsorships signed, though 14 existing deals were renewed. Amidst prolonged bearish market conditions and the FTX fallout, the industry remained cautious, limiting substantial financial commitments. However, OKX demonstrated resilience by securing a $70 million deal with Manchester City, illustrating that strategic investments could still thrive.

By 2024, the industry witnessed a gentle recovery, with 26 new sponsorships and 16 continuing from prior years. Noteworthy among these was Crypto.com’s sponsorship with the UEFA Champions League and BlockDAG’s $10 million deal with Borussia Dortmund (BVB). Additionally, Bitget announced a new partnership with LaLiga to enhance crypto adoption in Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

“The volume of new sponsorships has not surpassed the 2021 levels, but the uptick in activity suggests crypto firms are slowly re-entering the sports space,” CoinGecko said.

Read more: Top 5 Crypto Companies That Might Go Public (IPO) in 2024

Specifically, crypto sponsorships have primarily focused on football, with early adopters including prominent clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Manchester City. The strategy extended to global events such as the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup, leveraging football’s massive international following.

Despite the market’s volatility, some partnerships, like Crypto.com’s diverse sponsorships and Bybit’s strong presence in Formula 1, have become long-term success stories.

Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov predicts that tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) will soon be more valuable than cryptocurrencies. He points to the increasing involvement of traditional finance in decentralized finance, driven by a growing interest in tokenization.

Nazarov also noted that Chainlink is ready to take advantage of this shift in the blockchain space.

TradFi Interest in Tokenized RWAs To Alter Blockchain

Nazarov anticipates an interconnected world where decentralized finance (DeFi) and TradFi actively transact with each other. Acknowledging the growing interest in tokenized RWAs, he says TradFi would be DeFi’s largest customer.

Speaking at Token2049 in Singapore, Nazarov highlighted DeFi’s ability to generate yield and create reliable markets for RWAs. He urged the industry to prepare for this shift, noting that it’s already happening, driven by asset tokenization. According to Nazarov, blockchain technology is giving TradFi exactly what it needs.

Chainlink co-founder also highlighted how decentralized infrastructures like Chainlink and smart contracts are transforming the digital space by removing the need for traditional counterparty relationships. Instead of relying on human decision-making, automated code ensures outcomes, improving efficiency and reducing risks that traditional finance models often face.

Read more:  Real World Asset (RWA) Backed Tokens Explained

Nazarov emphasized that this represents a major shift from the current TradFi model, where delays and risks stem from human intervention.

His remarks align with his statements from late August, when he predicted that tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) would surpass crypto in value by 2027, driven by institutional interest and TradFi integration. Currently, the RWA market is growing, with RWA.xyz data showing it is already a $2.22 billion industry.

This development comes as blockchain technology continues to tackle the infrastructure challenges faced by traditional finance, while also opening up new investment opportunities. Blockchain’s ability to streamline workflows and significantly improve settlement times is especially appealing — echoing what Sergey Nazarov explained about the efficiency and certainty that decentralized systems offer.

“TradFi needs all kinds of different data that allow those traditional finance smart contracts to function properly…the Net Asset Value (NAV) data of tokenized funds is an example of a dashboard live on production showing the proof of Reserves of one of the many ETF funds use to prove things about them,” Nazarov said.

Read more: What is Tokenization on Blockchain?

Notwithstanding, the road to a complete transition to digital infrastructure is marred with challenges. Among them are legal considerations, identity standards, and data privacy, which would demand careful evaluation with regulatory systems in mind.

Accordingly, TradFi and DeFi players and the broader financial services industry must work to build infrastructures capable of supporting broader tokenization adoption while ensuring security and compliance before Nazarov’s dream can become a reality.

The Token2049 conference in Singapore has once again proven to be a key event for the crypto industry, showcasing major advancements and collaborations.

The event covered everything from Ethereum’s growth to new partnerships in sports and AI, highlighting how the industry continues to evolve.

Vitalik Sings Ethereum’s Progress: Fees, Speed, Future

Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin surprised Token2049 attendees by delivering his speech in the form of a concert. Despite the unusual presentation, he shared key updates on Ethereum’s progress.

Buterin highlighted how Layer-2 networks have reduced transaction fees and improved transaction confirmation times to just 5 to 15 seconds.

He also stressed the importance of balancing mainstream adoption with Ethereum’s core values of decentralization and open-source development. Buterin briefly mentioned the ongoing competition with Bitcoin, which currently dominates 58% of the market.

On the second day of Token2049, global crypto exchange Bitget announced a partnership with LaLiga. The collaboration, timed with Bitget’s sixth anniversary, will focus on leveraging blockchain technology alongside LaLiga’s ventures into AI, virtual reality, and the metaverse.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen highlighted the alliance’s potential to connect with millions of football fans in emerging markets. This follows Bitget’s 2022 partnership with Lionel Messi, reflecting the growing overlap between crypto and sports.

Solana Mobile Unveils ‘Seeker’: Next-Gen Web3 Smartphone

Solana Mobile, a subsidiary of Solana Labs, has unveiled its second-generation Web3 smartphone, called “Seeker”. Previously referred to as “Chapter Two,” Seeker has already secured over 140,000 presale units across 57 countries, according to Emmett Hollyer, Solana Mobile’s general manager. The device is set for release in 2025 and aims to further Web3 mobile development within the Solana ecosystem.

Seeker’s key features include a seed vault wallet, Solana dApp Store 2.0, a Seeker Genesis token, and enhanced hardware. The Early Founder price is $450 until September 21, 2024.

This launch comes after the Saga phone faced initial struggles with sales, but later sold out following a surge in the value of the BONK meme coin.

Read more: 6 Best Platforms To Buy Solana (SOL) in 2024

Chainlink’s Sergey Nazarov Predicts RWA Surge

Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov once again predicted that tokenized real-world assets (RWA) will soon surpass cryptocurrencies in value on Web3. During his keynote at Token2049, he stated that TradFi will become decentralized finance’s (DeFi) largest customer, reshaping the blockchain industry.

Nazarov highlighted Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) as crucial in connecting various financial systems. He noted that Chainlink’s oracle network has already enabled $15.49 trillion in transaction value since 2022.

To integrate with blockchain, TradFi needs access to diverse data types and cross-chain connectivity. CCIP offers programmable token transfers, allowing value and data to be included in single transactions.

CertiK, the prominent blockchain security firm, announced a major upgrade to its Web3 services. The company introduced two free community security tools: Token Scan and Wallet Scan, aimed at increasing user asset protection.

Token Scan offers instant security checks for tokens, helping users detect potential scams on networks like Solana. Wallet Scan allows users to assess their wallets for risks such as approval vulnerabilities, and interactions with phishing addresses.

These tools were developed based on CertiK’s extensive experience, including over 70 white hat operations, reporting of 4,000+ security incidents, identification of 115,000 code vulnerabilities, and protection of approximately $360 billion in assets.

Read more: 15 Most Common Crypto Scams To Look Out For

Hollywood Veteran Critiques Celebrity Meme Coins

Andrew Saunders, a former Hollywood executive and now Skale’s chief marketing officer, voiced criticism of celebrity-backed meme coins at Token2049. Despite his background in entertainment, Saunders warned against these tokens due to concentrated supply and high risk, likening them to a player-versus-player game where early entry is key to making a profit.

Looking ahead, Saunders predicted a shift in the landscape as crypto regulations become clearer and public understanding improves. He envisioned a future where celebrities use blockchain to connect with fans in a more meaningful way, accessing unique data through an “arm in” model.

As a better alternative to meme coins, Saunders suggested that celebrities develop decentralized applications (DApps) where fans could earn points through social interactions. These points could then be redeemed for exclusive experiences or merchandise.

Solidus Ai Tech and SambaNova Partner for Web 3.0 AI

Solidus Ai Tech has partnered with SambaNova Systems to advance AI in Web 3.0 by integrating SambaNova’s RDU stacks into Solidus Ai Tech’s AI marketplace and European HPC Data Centre. This collaboration promises unprecedented speeds in AI inferencing and fine-tuning.

Set to launch in September, the AI Marketplace will feature advanced AI models powered by SambaNova’s SN40L chip, making high-performance AI accessible across various industries. Paul Farhi, CEO of Solidus Ai Tech, described it as a major leap for AI, while Su Le from SambaNova emphasized the potential for decentralized intelligence in Web 3.0.

Venture Trio Launches Fund for Aptos Ecosystem Growth

MEXC Ventures, Foresight Ventures, and Mirana Ventures have joined forces to establish a new fund aimed at boosting the Aptos ecosystem. This collaborative initiative will focus on supporting promising projects built on the Aptos platform, with a particular emphasis on developing crucial Web3 use cases.

The fund will prioritize projects that leverage Aptos infrastructure, including technologies like Block-STM, and those that facilitate seamless interoperability with key EVM ecosystems. This strategic investment demonstrates strong confidence in Aptos’ technological advancements and future potential.