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Alisa Davidson
Published: August 31, 2025 at 12:00 pm Updated: August 29, 2025 at 9:26 am
Edited and fact-checked:
August 31, 2025 at 12:00 pm
In Brief
The last week of August 2025 saw a surge of crypto activity across media, finance, sports, and payments, with major partnerships and stablecoin initiatives reshaping industries globally.
The last week of August 2025 marked a flurry of crypto activity across global finance, sports, and media. From Trump Media’s CRO partnership with Crypto.com to Mastercard’s stablecoin expansion in EEMEA, Newcastle United’s BYDFi deal, and Formula 1 sponsorships, digital assets continued reshaping industries at a remarkable pace.
Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), the parent company of Truth Social, Truth+, and Truth.Fi, has announced a strategic partnership with Crypto.com through mutual cooperation and purchase agreements. The collaboration will see Truth Social and Truth+ integrate Crypto.com’s digital wallet infrastructure to power a revamped rewards system. Users will be able to convert platform “gems” into Cronos (CRO) tokens and related benefits, with future options to pay for subscriptions directly in CRO and receive discounts for opening Crypto.com accounts.
As part of the financial arrangement, Trump Media will acquire approximately $105 million in CRO, equal to about 2% of the token’s market cap at the time of the announcement. In turn, Crypto.com will purchase $50 million in Trump Media stock, with both sides committing to a lockup period. Trump Media will also stake its CRO holdings using Crypto.com’s custody service for additional revenue generation.
CEO Devin Nunes said the company aims to make CRO the “utility token of choice” across media platforms, while Crypto.com’s Kris Marszalek described the deal as a “historic moment” for the Cronos blockchain. The move comes alongside Trump Media’s creation of a new entity focused on building a CRO-based digital asset treasury.
Mastercard and Circle Expand Stablecoin Settlement to EEMEA
Mastercard and Circle have announced an expanded partnership that will allow acquiring institutions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) to settle transactions using Circle’s fully reserved stablecoins, USDC and EURC. This marks the first time stablecoin settlement will be available to acquirers in the region, bridging blockchain-native assets with traditional commerce infrastructure. Arab Financial Services (AFS) and Eazy Financial Services will be the first to adopt the system.
By enabling settlement in USDC and EURC, acquirers can pay merchants more efficiently, reduce friction in high-volume settlements, and improve liquidity management. The initiative builds on earlier Mastercard-Circle collaborations on crypto card solutions such as Bybit and S1LKPAY. Mastercard’s regional president Dimitrios Dosis said the move reflects the company’s strategy of integrating stablecoins into the financial mainstream, emphasizing the importance of security and compliance.
Circle’s Chief Business Officer Kash Razzaghi called the expansion a “pivotal step” toward borderless commerce, noting the potential for USDC to become as common as traditional payments. Executives from AFS and Eazy highlighted the operational benefits, including faster, more secure settlement. The effort underscores Mastercard’s broader role in advancing stablecoin adoption globally across remittances, B2B transactions, and creator payouts.
Newcastle United Signs Multi-Year Partnership with Crypto Exchange BYDFi
Newcastle United has announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with cryptocurrency exchange BYDFi, making the Seychelles-based platform the club’s official crypto exchange partner. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the agreement adds to the Premier League side’s expanding portfolio of digital asset sponsors.
BYDFi, founded in 2020, provides trading services to more than one million users in over 190 countries. The partnership comes as Newcastle continues strengthening its international presence, particularly in Asia, following the Saudi-led takeover in 2021. The club has a history of working with firms in retail trading and fintech, including VT Markets, eToro, and crypto trading company StormGain.
Chief Commercial Officer Peter Silverstone said the deal reflects Newcastle’s growing global reach, noting that the club ranks second in Europe for broadcast audience since the 2021–22 season and fifth in Premier League television viewership across Asia-Pacific. He added that the team was the fastest-growing Premier League side on social media last season.
BYDFi CEO Michael Hung said the collaboration aligns with the exchange’s expansion strategy and demonstrates its ambition to reach new audiences. The deal underscores the broader trend of crypto firms sponsoring football, with total sports-related crypto partnerships valued at $565 million in 2024/25.
Sygnum and Incore Deepen Partnership to Expand Digital Asset Banking
Sygnum Bank and Incore Bank have expanded their six-year partnership to strengthen B2B digital asset banking infrastructure. The move will give Incore’s institutional clients—including banks, intermediaries, fintechs, and corporates—access to Sygnum’s digital asset platform, offering custody, trading, and settlement services.
The collaboration builds on a relationship that began in 2019, when Incore provided custody and brokerage services for Sygnum’s traditional securities and asset management products. Under the new arrangement, Incore will integrate Sygnum’s modular platform into its network, with members receiving priority access to upcoming digital asset products. Both firms describe the initiative as providing “future-proof” infrastructure for institutional adoption.
Sygnum operates regulated digital asset banking in Switzerland, Singapore, and Luxembourg, while Incore serves as a Swiss-based B2B transaction bank. Both are licensed by FINMA, ensuring operations meet capital, risk management, and security standards equivalent to traditional banking. Executives highlighted that Switzerland’s regulatory clarity continues to attract institutions seeking compliant exposure to digital assets.
Sygnum’s Chief B2B Officer Fritz Jost said the platform delivers the “security, scalability and flexibility” required by the market, while Incore CEO Mark Dambacher described the expansion as driven by strong client demand and an opportunity to broaden Incore’s digital asset product offering.
SBI Group Partners with Chainlink to Advance Crypto in Asia
Japan’s SBI Group has partnered with blockchain oracle platform Chainlink to develop digital asset tools for banks and financial institutions across Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. Announced on August 25, 2025, the collaboration marks SBI’s fourth crypto partnership within a single week.
The partnership will focus on tokenized real-world assets, stablecoin verification, cross-border payments, and real-time fund data on blockchain networks. By converting physical assets like bonds and real estate into digital tokens, financial institutions can trade and manage them more efficiently. Chainlink’s technology will also ensure stablecoins are properly backed, enhancing transparency, while its interoperability protocol aims to make cross-border payments faster and cheaper.
Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov described the deal as “production usage at a large scale,” noting prior collaborations on stablecoin settlements and fund tokenization. SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao said the partnership aims to “power compliant cross-border transactions using stablecoins,” facilitating wider adoption of digital assets in the region.
The project builds on prior work under Singapore’s Project Guardian, where SBI, Chainlink, and UBS Asset Management successfully tested automated fund management systems. Alongside other recent partnerships with Circle, Ripple Labs, and Startale, SBI is positioning itself as a leader in Japan’s crypto finance ecosystem, offering solutions for tokenized securities, stablecoins, and 24/7 digital asset trading.
Formula 1 teams are increasingly turning to cryptocurrency partnerships, driving significant revenue growth and transforming the sport’s commercial landscape.
Crypto.com extended its F1 deal through 2030, maintaining naming rights for the Miami Grand Prix, while Aston Martin signed a Coinbase agreement fully paid in USDC stablecoin.
Red Bull Racing switched from Bybit to Gate.io, placing the exchange’s branding on Max Verstappen’s helmet and car wings. McLaren continues with OKX alongside Mastercard and Google, and Alpine partners with Binance and ApeCoin, with fan-voted sponsorship marking a first in F1.
Crypto sponsorships are not limited to branding; teams now use fan tokens to engage supporters in car designs and team decisions. The broader crypto betting market has also surged, increasing from $50 million in 2019 to $250 million in 2024, with Bitcoin accounting for 73% of wagers. Mobile platforms handle 65% of crypto sports bets.
Despite market volatility, including the FTX collapse and major token crashes, teams are cautious in signing deals, prioritizing financial stability and proven track records. While Mercedes and Ferrari avoid crypto entirely, surviving firms are building longer-term relationships. Overall, crypto sponsorships now play a central role in F1’s global marketing strategy, combining digital payments, fan engagement, and blockchain-based experiences to complement traditional revenue streams.
Disclaimer
In line with the Trust Project guidelines, please note that the information provided on this page is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other form of advice. It is important to only invest what you can afford to lose and to seek independent financial advice if you have any doubts. For further information, we suggest referring to the terms and conditions as well as the help and support pages provided by the issuer or advertiser. MetaversePost is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice.
About The Author
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
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Alisa Davidson
Alisa, a dedicated journalist at the MPost, specializes in cryptocurrency, zero-knowledge proofs, investments, and the expansive realm of Web3. With a keen eye for emerging trends and technologies, she delivers comprehensive coverage to inform and engage readers in the ever-evolving landscape of digital finance.
More articles
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