July 4 – Aston Villa has announced a new partnership with Xapo Bank, a bitcoin-first private bank, marking another high-profile entry from the crypto and fintech space into Premier League football.
The deal makes Xapo the club’s Official Pre-Season Tour Partner and includes branding rights extending into the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.
The agreement, which kicks off with Villa’s pre-season tour of the United States this July, features in-stadium advertising including pitchside LED and dugout visibility, alongside a digital presence aimed at activating Xapo’s financial services to Villa’s global fanbase. No financial terms were disclosed.
Xapo is aiming at building visibility in key international markets, particularly in the UK and U.S. Premier League exposure offers access to over 250 million global viewers per matchweek.
Seamus Rocca, CEO of Xapo Bank, said: “Aston Villa is a club on the rise; ambitious and unafraid to challenge the status quo. And that is the same mentality we have here at Xapo. Like Villa, we’re not chasing fleeting headlines. We see Bitcoin as grounded in undeniable performance, built for the future. We’re focused on playing the long game and building something that lasts. Together, we’re bringing the promise of bitcoin to a global stage, one fan at a time.”
Following the collapse of the last bitcoin bubble in 2022, the sponsorship sector saw the end of a number of high profile partnerships. Since then bitcoin has rebuilt its reputation and consumer confidence, and has slowly been returning to football sponsorship and the consumer footprint clubs can provide.
Adrian Filby, chief commercial officer at Aston Villa, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Xapo, an organisation whose vision for success aligns with Aston Villa’s long-term strategic thinking. They are at the leading edge of bitcoin, and we look forward to enjoying a close and fruitful relationship where both parties can benefit from growth and exposure.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1751659520labto1751659520ofdlr1751659520owedi1751659520sni@g1751659520niwe.1751659520yrrah1751659520