Crypto is no longer just a sponsor on the sidelines—it’s moving into the core financial strategies of global sports franchises.
Paris Saint-Germain, one of the most prominent soccer clubs in the world, has officially added Bitcoin to its balance sheet.
The news broke at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas, where PSG Labs head Par Helgosson confirmed that a portion of the club’s fiat reserves was converted into BTC.
“We took our fiat reserves and allocated Bitcoin. It’s still on our books,” Helgosson said. “As one of the world’s largest clubs, we’re the biggest player in sports to do this.”
The move marks a significant milestone in the ongoing convergence of crypto and professional sports.
PSG, a Ligue 1 champion and UEFA Champions League finalist, said the decision was driven in part by its fan demographics—80% of which are under 34.
Helgosson also noted that PSG isn’t stopping with treasury management. Through PSG Labs, its innovation division, the club is actively investing in crypto startups.
“We’re accelerating Bitcoin ventures—launching, listing, and raising alongside them—leveraging our global reach of over 500 million fans,” he said.
PSG’s Bitcoin allocation is not its first foray into the Web3 world.
The club was an early adopter during the last bull run, launching its PSG Fan Token on the Socios platform and rolling out AI-generated NFTs via Crypto.com.
The PSG Fan Token gives holders access to voting rights and exclusive club perks.
As of now, it’s trading at $2.57, with a market cap of $23.8 million and daily trading volume of $22.2 million.
Of the total 19.89 million tokens, just under half—9.25 million—are in circulation.
PSG Labs, launched in 2023, serves as the club’s venture arm for scaling Bitcoin-focused startups around the world.
PSG’s Bitcoin pivot highlights a broader trend.
Since 2021, crypto firms have signed 87 sponsorship deals across major sports, with 33 tied to European soccer clubs, according to CoinGecko.
Manchester United, Chelsea, and other global teams have helped boost Web3 visibility through high-profile tournaments like the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup.
Motorsport has also been fertile ground. FTX inked a now-defunct multi-year partnership with Mercedes F1, while Red Bull Racing teamed up with Bybit in a $150 million deal. F1 itself signed Crypto.com as its official digital asset partner in a $100 million agreement.
Crypto companies have also targeted esports, basketball, baseball, American football, and cricket. FTX poured $210 million into Team SoloMid before its collapse. Coinbase and others continue to pursue similar strategies.
With Bitcoin prices surging and institutional interest growing, crypto’s presence in sports marketing is expected to expand—even as regulatory uncertainty lingers.
Whether PSG’s move kicks off a wider trend remains to be seen, but it signals a new phase in how clubs are thinking about digital assets and long-term financial strategy.