- The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off with major crypto sponsorships, fueling a rally in tokens like BNB, OKB, APE, CRO, and ACH, which gained between 1.5% and 5%.
- As crypto firms deepen their ties with sports, partnerships like Binance’s Alpine sponsorship and Crypto.com’s F1 deal drive adoption and market growth.
Formula 1 Embraces Crypto Sponsorship in 2025
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off last week in Australia, marking a major shift in the sports and crypto landscape. With half of the racing teams backed by crypto sponsors, the event witnessed a significant impact on the market. Leading crypto platforms like Binance, OKX, ApeCoin, and Crypto.com are powering top teams, reinforcing the growing bond between cryptocurrency and sports.
Crypto Sponsorships Power Major F1 Teams
As the racing season unfolds, here’s a breakdown of key sponsorships shaping the event:
- Crypto.com (CRO) continues its global partnership with the Formula One Group, extending until the end of 2030.
- Red Bull Racing is backed by Gate.io, further strengthening the exchange’s presence in motorsports.
- Aston Martin enjoys sponsorship from one of the largest centralized exchanges, Coinbase.
- McLaren is supported by OKX, while Binance and ApeCoin power Alpine’s F1 team.
- Notably, Ferrari has no crypto sponsors this season, and McLaren is still overcoming its ties with the bankrupt exchange FTX.
Crypto Tokens Surge Amid Racing Hype
The influence of these sponsorships extended beyond branding, as several crypto tokens surged following the F1 season opener. Binance Coin (BNB), OKX’s OKB, ApeCoin (APE), Alchemy Pay (ACH), and Crypto.com (CRO) witnessed gains between 1.5% and 5% on Monday.
This rally comes after a Bitcoin-led market correction last week, with traders capitalizing on renewed market confidence fueled by the high-profile event.
Among the biggest beneficiaries, Binance continues to expand its reach, surpassing 250 million registered users as per its January 2025 report. With Binance’s active role in Formula 1, the exchange aims to boost user adoption and engagement throughout the season.
Sports and Crypto: A Growing Partnership
Crypto sponsorships in sporting events continue to gain momentum amid pro-crypto policies in the U.S. and industry-wide expansion.
While Super Bowl LIX 2025 lacked crypto sponsors, recent partnerships show an increasing number of collaborations between crypto firms and sports organizations. Marketing agency SportQuake reported 22 sponsorship deals worth an average of $4.3 million in 2025, compared to 18 deals averaging $2.6 million in 2024.
Some notable partnerships include:
- Tether’s $50 million stake in Juventus, strengthening crypto’s foothold in football.
- XBO.com’s global sponsorship of Argentina’s national football team.
- Sportsbet.io’s title deal with Snooker’s Players Championship.
- Cloudbet’s multi-year partnership with MMA’s Professional Fighters League.
As crypto and sports continue to intersect, these sponsorships not only enhance brand visibility but also drive market adoption, benefiting both racing enthusiasts and crypto investors alike.
