The Credibility Chase: Crypto in the Fast Lane

Formula 1 is not a sport for everyone to participate in, but it is certainly one for everyone to watch in awe. F1 roots go back to European Grand Prix racing in 1946. Today, it represents the pinnacle of speed, innovation, teamwork, and technology, with 10 teams competing at the highest level.

F1 consistently captures global attention and remains one of the most attractive events for corporate sponsorships. Its sponsor history reflects more than just logos — it mirrors the cultural and economic priorities of different eras. Rolex, Shell, and leading car manufacturers have all been prominent partners. When oil giants like Shell, Petronas, and HP dominated F1 sponsorships, the message was clear: this was an oil-driven economy. However, a look at the 2025 sponsorship landscape suggests a new frontier — fintech and crypto.

The BitOK team analysed the ongoing phenomena of crypto brands' partnerships with Formula One and presents the outcomes in this article. The research includes an alternative estimation of the deal costs. For the majority of sponsor packages with crypto and Web3 brands, the agreement price has never been revealed. The BitOK estimation of all such partnerships is, to date, the only source for the overall evaluation of all crypto collaborations with F1.

A total of 30 Web3 and crypto brands have been established as partners at Formula One since 2019. The ice breaker for industry collaboration with Formula One commenced with the Crypto.com agreement in 2021. F1, as one of the most prestigious sports events for almost a hundred years, does not accept just any names for partnerships. Crypto.com becoming one of them signified a growing credibility toward digital finance.

Crypto.com has not only been the first name of Web3 partnerships that followed, but also one of the longest-standing partners for Formula One. Additionally, it received an official partner title of the Miami Grand Prix. Its current sponsor agreement extends through 2030.

The other manifestation delivered to the world through a collaboration between Formula One and the crypto industry is the first precedent of sponsorship payment in USDC, as announced in February 2025, in a partnership agreement between Coinbase and Aston Martin. Before that, Web3 brands were still delivering installments to F1 in traditional currency.

Formula One partnerships are bespoke deals. They are highly customized and may include a variety of scenarios, so there is no "standard" rate for them. The ongoing trend of F1 partnerships with crypto brands delivers a new kind of support that the sports scene has not seen before. Even when official announcements state the package cost, they rarely display the full price.

There are several business reasons for the publicly known sponsor package deviating from its actual cost. Below we state the main ones:

Clarifying the true value of crypto brand agreements with Formula One involves several key components for estimation. We outline our approach to analysis in our F1 & Crypto summary table.

In the illustration below, we have selected the top 5 expensive deals with F1 by crypto brands for showcase. 

An overview of all crypto partnerships with Formula One underscores the growing economic influence of digital finance and the Web3 sector. According to our estimate, the total sum of crypto brand agreements with Formula One in the period from 2019 to 2025 reaches the total amount:

Our estimates align with Amper Analysis, evaluating technology and financial service brands as the largest investors in the F1 2025 season, each accounting for around 20% of all new sponsorship deals. Ampere assessment covers all brand sponsorship across F1 and its teams, and its cost for 2025 is over $2.9bn.

BitOK’s research is based on the key authentic features of crypto partnerships — ranging from exclusive agreements that extend beyond simple brand visibility to the complexity of contractual terms and innovative approaches to audience engagement.

We examined the hidden costs of these collaborations, providing estimates even for deals with undisclosed details. A financial evaluation reveals the real price crypto companies are willing to pay today to gain credibility and public acceptance.

At the same time, strengthening the image of digital finance is only part of the challenge; maintaining long-term trust is equally critical. In this regard, credibility in finance increasingly depends on modern digital compliance, which helps reduce risks and secure reliable conditions for digital transactions. Modern crypto exchanges and digital finance companies are already approaching the reliability and compliance standards of traditional banks. Technologically, however, they are far ahead of any conventional financial organization.