On 21 August 2018, eToro announced sponsorship agreements with seven clubs competing in the 2018–19 Premier League season. The unusual part was not simply the advertising exposure: eToro said it would pay the sponsorship fees in Bitcoin.
The arrangements were agreements between eToro and individual clubs—not one sponsorship contract with the Premier League itself. The clubs also were not announced as paying footballers’ wages in cryptocurrency. The documented Bitcoin payment related to the sponsorship fees.
Which Premier League clubs signed the eToro partnerships?
The seven clubs named in eToro’s announcement were:
| Club | Status in the 2018 announcement |
|---|---|
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Individual eToro club partner |
| Cardiff City | Individual eToro club partner |
| Crystal Palace | Individual eToro club partner |
| Leicester City | Individual eToro club partner |
| Newcastle United | Individual eToro club partner |
| Southampton | Individual eToro club partner |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Individual eToro club partner |
These clubs were all competing in the Premier League when the announcement was made. That does not mean eToro became a permanent league-wide sponsor, or that all seven clubs remained partners after the relevant contracts ended.
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How Bitcoin was used in the sponsorship
eToro said it would pay the clubs in Bitcoin and that each club would establish a digital wallet with eToro to receive the funds. The company described the arrangement as the first Premier League partnership payment made in cryptocurrency.
The value of the individual sponsorship agreements was not disclosed. The public announcements also did not state how many Bitcoin each club received, provide transaction records, or publish a uniform contract value. Exact claims about the amount paid therefore require evidence beyond the original announcement.
For a personal-finance reader, the important distinction is between the payment method and the commercial value of the deal. Saying that a sponsorship was paid in Bitcoin does not reveal the sponsorship’s value in pounds. Bitcoin’s price can also change substantially between the time a payment is agreed, transferred and converted into fiat currency.
What advertising rights did eToro receive?
The partnership packages were broader than a single stadium advert. The announced rights included:
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- Perimeter-board advertising during matches;
- Branding on interview and media backdrops;
- Exposure across club-owned digital and social-media channels;
- Marketing and content opportunities; and
- Cooperation on possible blockchain and cryptocurrency applications in football.
The public material did not provide an identical, club-by-club list of every right purchased. Individual sponsorship contracts may therefore have differed, even though the broad categories of exposure were similar.
It was not a deal to pay footballers in Bitcoin
Some descriptions of the announcement incorrectly turned the sponsorship payment into a claim about players’ salaries. The original announcement did not say that any of the clubs would pay their players in Bitcoin.
The supported version is narrower: eToro paid, or agreed to pay, the clubs for sponsorship rights in Bitcoin. That is a commercial payment between a sponsor and clubs. It is not evidence that player wages, transfer fees or other football operations were settled in cryptocurrency.
What happened to eToro’s Premier League partnerships?
The 2018 list should not be treated as a current partnership list. eToro’s later announcements show that its football portfolio changed.
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In 2023, eToro announced partnerships involving the men’s and women’s teams of Arsenal, Everton, West Ham United and Crystal Palace. eToro said Crystal Palace’s relationship with the company began in 2018.
In July 2025, eToro announced renewals with Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham United. Those renewals covered both the men’s and women’s teams for the 2025–26 and 2026–27 seasons. Crystal Palace’s renewal was described as its eighth season with eToro.
Nottingham Forest separately announced eToro as its Official Trading Partner for the 2025–26 season. The package included perimeter LED advertising, stadium-screen advertising, interview-backdrop branding, digital content and a matchday activation.
Based on the cited public announcements, the documented multi-season renewals extending through the 2026–27 season are for Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham United. The Nottingham Forest announcement referred to the 2025–26 season only; a later renewal should not be assumed without a new announcement.
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Why the deal mattered to eToro
For eToro, the partnerships linked a trading platform and cryptocurrency message to highly visible football brands. Stadium boards, interview backdrops and club social channels gave the company marketing reach beyond a conventional financial-services advert.
That visibility should not be confused with an endorsement of Bitcoin as an investment or with a guarantee about eToro’s products. A sponsorship is advertising. It does not remove the risks of cryptocurrency price movements, trading losses or any fees and terms attached to a trading account.
How to describe the deal accurately
- Use the date: eToro made the announcement on 21 August 2018.
- Name the parties correctly: the agreements were with seven individual clubs, not the Premier League as a central competition.
- Describe Bitcoin precisely: it was the proposed payment method for sponsorship fees.
- Do not invent a value: the individual deal amounts and Bitcoin quantities were not published in the cited announcements.
- Keep the season in context: the clubs were 2018–19 Premier League clubs, and the arrangement was not established as permanent.
The original reporting is available through eToro’s press release via PR Newswire, Tottenham Hotspur’s announcement and coverage from Sports Business Journal. Later partnership information comes from eToro’s 2023 announcement, its 2025 renewal announcement and Nottingham Forest’s announcement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Did the Premier League sign a sponsorship deal with eToro?
No. The 2018 announcement covered seven separate club-level partnerships with Brighton & Hove Albion, Cardiff City, Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Newcastle United, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. It was not presented as a sponsorship of the Premier League’s central commercial inventory.
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- PERFECT FOR F1 FANS: Ideal gift or wardrobe addition for Red Bull Racing supporters, Formula 1 enthusiasts, and motorsport fans
Were Premier League players paid in Bitcoin?
There is no support for that claim in the original announcement. eToro’s Bitcoin payment related to the clubs’ sponsorship fees, not players’ wages.
How much Bitcoin did each club receive?
The published announcements did not disclose the value of the individual sponsorships or the number of Bitcoin transferred. Exact figures should not be reported without a separate reliable source.
Are all seven original eToro clubs still partners?
That should not be assumed. eToro’s later publicly announced partnerships changed. Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham United had renewals covering the 2025–26 and 2026–27 seasons, while Nottingham Forest was announced for 2025–26.
Was this the first sports sponsorship paid in Bitcoin?
The careful wording is that eToro announced what it characterized as the first Premier League sponsorship partnership paid in Bitcoin. The published material does not establish, through independently audited transaction records, that it was the first sports sponsorship payment of any kind made in Bitcoin.
The Bottom Line
eToro’s 2018 announcement concerned seven individual Premier League club sponsorships, with the sponsorship fees to be paid in Bitcoin. The packages included stadium advertising, interview-backdrop branding and digital content rights, but the deal values were not disclosed. It was not a Premier League-wide agreement and did not mean that footballers were paid in cryptocurrency. Later eToro partnerships involved a different and changing group of clubs, so the 2018 list is historical rather than a current sponsorship directory.
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