Cryptocurrencies have found application in various industries and sectors of the economy. Thanks to their progressiveness, they began to be advertised by well-known organizations and people. Currently, they are promoted not only by celebrities, movie stars, but also by athletes. Cryptocurrencies can be seen in formula 1, football or combat sports, which we will focus on in this text.

Certainly, combat sports are now at the peak of popularity and attract a huge audience. Sports events with such a large reach are an ideal opportunity to promote services and products, also related to digital assets. That is why representatives of cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms are eager to cooperate with leading organizations, such as UFC or KSW.

Why is combat sports so popular?

Combat sports such as boxing or MMA (mixed martial arts) are very spectacular and attract huge interest of fans from all over the world. The popularity of these sports is the result of various factors, including exciting spectacles, player involvement and competition.

It is also worth noting that combat sports create a global community. They have a huge reach as they attract the attention of fans from different age groups, countries and cultures. However, thanks to television broadcasts, social media or streaming platforms, fights are available to a wide audience. There is no denying that in the era of social media, players gain direct contact with fans, which allows them to build a personal brand and bonds with fans.

In addition, the players often become cult characters. You can start by listing boxing legends like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson to MMA icons like Anderson Silva and Conor McGregor. These characters and many others are distinguished not only by their charismatic personality, but also by numerous titles and victories. They will certainly be remembered as symbols of this sport and will be an inspiration for the next generations of players and fans. Although often their popularity is also influenced by numerous controversial behaviors that are relatively common for combat sports competitors and are part of the history of these disciplines. An example is the so-called trash talk, i.e. offensive comments towards opponents, which are supposed to heat up the atmosphere before the fight.

Sports federations such as UFC, Bellator, KSW and many others have definitely contributed to the increase in the popularity of martial arts. A large part of these organizations have become the perfect space to promote cryptocurrencies. Why? It seems that mainly due to the huge popularity of combat sports and the global audience. It is worth noting that this symbiosis between cryptocurrencies and sports can be mutually beneficial, increasing interest in both digital currencies and sports events.

There is no denying that the increased involvement of cryptocurrency companies in sports marketing is the result of the development and popularity of cryptocurrencies, especially in recent years. These companies see sports events as an excellent opportunity to promote their services and products. In addition, many companies in the cryptocurrency sector are currently sponsoring European football teams and have established various types of sponsorship deals related to many sporting events.

The largest MMA federation in the world and crypto.com

Crypto.com is a world-renowned cryptocurrency exchange based in Singapore that is distinguished by its wide range of cryptocurrency-related services. The exchange offers over 250 different currencies, reasonable fees and discounts for those who hold a significant amount of Crypto.com’s native coin, or CRO. It is estimated that in 2023 alone, the company had 80 million customers and employed 4,000 employees. The exchange is also known for numerous partnerships and initiatives related to the development of the cryptocurrency ecosystem. That is why she started cooperation with the UFC, an organization that attracts viewers from every corner of the world to the screens. Presumably, the fan base of this organization is as many as 625 million people.

For some time, Crypto.com has been actively appearing in the world of sports by sponsoring famous teams and events. The exchange deals with, among other things, sponsoring the Aston Martin team in Formula 1 and thus get involved in one of the most prestigious car racing series in the world. And sponsorship of the Montreal Canadiens gives crypto.com visibility in ice hockey circles. In addition, it is associated with football through sponsorship of the Coppa Italia final. It seems that the culmination of promoting cryptocurrencies in sports circles is starting cooperation with the UFC.

According to Kris Marszalek, co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, the merger of one of the fastest-growing exchanges with such a large organization as the UFC is a historic moment. This collaboration is to accelerate the adoption of cryptocurrencies among the multi-million audience following combat sports. Both sides agree that this is just the beginning of crypto.com’s long relationship with the UFC.

Dana White, on the other hand, said: “This is a partnership between two companies that are the best in their field. No other company has done more to increase the popularity of combat sports than the UFC, and now we are one of the biggest sports brands in the world. We can help Crypto.com reach more people around the world with the power of our brand.”

How does crypto.com’s cooperation with the UFC look like? The sponsorship deal between the two brands went into effect at the 264th event in Las Vegas. Dustin Poirier vs Conor McGregor was the main event of the night. At that time, UFC president Dana White announced that the gala would attract a record crowd. The deal, according to information from CNBC, is worth more than $175 million over ten years. As part of the cooperation, the crypto.com logo is to be visible at events organized by the federation. Among other things, it appears on the elements of the athletes’ outfits during the fight, as well as on the clothing of the accompanying coaches and the entire team gathered in the corner. In general, the logo should be visible mainly in the octagon, which is where the viewers’ eyes are directed.

The largest MMA federation in Poland and XTB

XTB, or X-Trade Brokers Dom Maklerski S.A., is one of the largest Forex brokers in Central and Eastern Europe. This company has been operating on the market since 2005 and has won many awards from renowned financial institutions, such as Bloomberg, Forbes and Money Markets Journal. In 2016, it debuted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The appearance on the stock exchange is an important event for the company, because it allows access to capital through the issue of shares on the public market. It is also an important step in terms of building reputation and trust among investors. It is also worth adding that XTB offers clients a wide range of financial instruments. Among them are stocks, CFDs, Indices, commodities, ETFs and cryptocurrencies.

XTB decided to cooperate with the KSW organization (Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki), which is one of the largest MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) organizations in Poland and Europe, to promote its services by sponsoring sports events. The contract has been signed for the entire year 2023 and will apply to ten out of twelve scheduled sports events, six of which are to be called XTB KSW. At other events, XTB will be a strategic sponsor, as in 2022.

Since the start of cooperation, XTB has been present both at KSW galas and promotional materials. This allows it to benefit from exposure to events and the audience associated with them. And thus, increasing brand recognition and attracting new customers interested in investing, among others, in cryptocurrencies.

Maciej Kawulski, one of the owners of the KSW organization, commented on cooperation with XTB: “KSW has always carefully selected its strategic partners. I believe that the alliance between our brands is a justified and wise choice and will prove to be an excellent investment. Two leading, stable brands embark on an exciting journey together towards a common goal”

The CEO of XTB, Omar Arnaout, also spoke positively about the cooperation. In his opinion, the company is taking steps to build brand awareness and the XTB investment application in new target groups. He also added that the position that the KSW federation has developed will certainly help to achieve these goals.

XTB is currently also working with titled MMA fighters who are associated with the UFC organization: Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Jiri Prochazka and Conor McGregor, who recently became a global brand ambassador. Cooperation with such well-known sports clubs can help XTB to increase brand recognition and attract more attention from clients interested in trading on financial markets. Brand ambassadors often participate in advertising campaigns, events and other promotional activities that aim to increase brand awareness and attract new customers.

Thank you for reading! For those who have arrived here, we have prepared the “MMA” code reducing the transaction in exchange offices by 0.25% (valid until September 11!).