BitMEX strikes multi-year deal with AC Milan to become official sleeve sponsor

Cryptocurrency derivatives exchange BitMEX has today announced a multi-year partnership with AC Milan that will see them become the Rossoneri’s first-ever official sleeve and cryptocurrency trading Partner.

The partnership will see the BitMEX brand emblazoned on the sleeve of both the men’s and women’s team shirts in all competitions, including the UEFA Champions League and domestic games in the 2021/22 season. The brand will also feature on the sleeve of their eSports team, AQM – marking another first for the Club.

The BitMEX logo will be debuted on August 23, when AC Milan play Sampdoria in the first Serie A game of the 2021/22 season. The logo will debut at the San Siro in front of the Rossoneri home fans during their second Serie A game against Cagliari.

Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer of AC Milan, said: “We are delighted to welcome BitMEX to the Rossoneri family as a Principal Partner and our first-ever sleeve sponsor of both the men’s and women’s teams as well as of our eSports team AQM.

“Our red and black shirt is not just something our players wear on the pitch, it represents who we are, and it embodies the passion of the over 500 million AC Milan fans across the world. This is truly an exciting partnership and the beginning of a great journey for both brands and our fans.”

The collaboration aims to offer the global fanbase of AC Milan greater access to the increasingly popular cryptocurrency world through the BitMEX platform.

Through the partnership, BitMEX will use a combination of  “innovation, progress, and inclusion” to provide eligible registered AC Milan fans with access to exclusive offers through the BitMEX platform and tools that will help improve “digital financial literacy”.

BitMEX users and business partners will also get exclusive access to the AC Milan brand through unique fan experiences.

Alexander Höptner, CEO of BitMEX, said “Our partnership with AC Milan is the start of a hugely exciting new chapter for BitMEX as we look to ramp up brand awareness and increase understanding of crypto.

“AC Milan is one of the world’s most progressive football clubs, and combined with its rich footballing heritage boasts extraordinary reach and engagement with fans globally. We felt we’d come home when we started talking to the Club, and we can’t wait to start interacting with the global Rossoneri family.”

The partnership with AC Milan marks BitMEX’s first venture into the thriving football and eSports space, which has seen phenomenal growth and adoption through the advent of Fan Tokens and a spate of sponsorships deals with teams from the top leagues in Europe.

AC Milan’s fan token, ACM,  has been a resounding success and continues to grow in both price and use-cases for the club. The token was launched in January 2021 and provides holders with access to a vast array of benefits including VIP rewards & experiences, exclusive club and sponsor promotions, games, competitions and “super-fan” recognition.

AC Milan’s fierce rivals, Inter Milan, have also joined forces with a cryptocurrency brand. Inter signed a deal with fan token platform Socios.com, which create the fan tokens for leading global sports teams. Through the partnership, the club will promote their soon-to-be-launched $INTER Fan Token on the front of their shirt.

Premier League clubs such as Watford and Arsenal have also signed deals with cryptocurrency brands. Watford recently signed a deal with Stake.com that will see the crypto casino platform become a primary shirt sponsor for the newly-promoted premier league club. Arsenal also struck a deal with Socios that will see the much-anticipated $AFC fan token launched in the coming months.