Fnatic enter $15m partnership with Crypto.com through 2026

London-based esports organization Fnatic have entered a five-year partnership with cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com, worth a total of $15m.

The convergence of esports and cryptocurrency has accelerated drastically in 2021, spearheaded by a $210m, 10-year deal between North American esports org TSM and crypto exchange platform FTX in June.

Fnatic are the latest major brand in the esports industry to secure themselves a major sponsor worth millions of dollars, entering a $15m deal with crypto platform Crypto.com for an initial five-year term.

The partnership includes a jersey sponsorship and will see the British org offer “numerous rewards and money-can’t-buy experiences” for their fans, including digital products such as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

This is the first foray into esports for the crypto platform as they’ve typically concentrated on sports in the past. They’re currently in deals with the likes of French football club Paris Saint-Germain, the UFC, Formula 1, and Italian football league Series A.

Fnatic’s new partner have an exchange that allows people to buy and sell numerous cryptocurrencies, an NFT marketplace, and services such as “crypto credit” that lends crypto to users.

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In recent months, crypto platforms such as Coinbase, Bybit, and FTX have all invested heavily in promoting their services through partnerships with companies in esports.

“This partnership sees global leaders in esports and cryptocurrency join forces for a ground-breaking, long-term partnership,” said Fnatic CEO Sam Mathews.

“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.”