Welsh club Swansea City has become the latest professional football team to sign a sponsorship agreement with a fintech firm, as the global cryptocurrency market continues to grow, forming an partnership with Mercuryo.

Speaking to Petr Kozyakov, Co-founder and CBDO of Mercuryo, we discussed the firm’s decision to partner with Swansea City, and what benefits the duo can bring for each other and the advantages offered to both football clubs and supporters by the fintech and cryptocurrency industries.

Insider Sport: Can you tell us more about the Swansea partnership and how it came about?  

Petr Kozyakov.: Mercuryo is passionate about football and decided to support the Welsh club with old roots, which was founded all the way back in 1912. As one of the oldest Welsh football clubs, Swansea City currently ranks second in the English Football League Championship. We will sponsor the club’s home matches for the 2020/2021 season and assist the team on their way to the English Premier League.

The details of the partnership involve Mercuryo becoming an “Official Crypto Currency Partner of Swansea City Association Football Club Limited”. It means that Mercuryo becomes a sponsor of the Cryptocurrency section. 

In return for providing significant financial support to the club, Mercuryo receives a number of benefits, among which are the following:

– Company advertisements aired on SwansTV

– Posts in the club’s social media

– A partnership match

– Placement of Mercuryo logo on LED boards around the perimeter of the field during each home match, etc.

IS: The Championship is broadcast globally and is one of the most-watched leagues in the world, how significant can this be in expanding the footprint of Mercuryo?

PK: For Mercuryo, this is the first sponsorship deal with an internationally renowned sports brand. As such, working with Swansea City is a very important step for our company towards becoming internationally recognisable. By sharing similar values – determination, teamwork, and performance – we aim to connect the innovative world of technology and cryptocurrencies with enthusiasm and passion of sports. 

Mercuryo is also planning to make further sponsor partnerships in the future. We have recently expanded our services to the US, so it could become our next stage in terms of partnerships.

IS: Could fintechs and cryptocurrency firms become more prominent in football and sports in general?

PK: Yes, there are not so many partnerships between the fields of cryptocurrency and football. This is still something new. The partnership is very important for Mercuryo and Swansea on the international market, as we are among the first who work towards building a connection between these two industries.

As part of an alliance between sports and innovative technology, Mercuryo and Swansea City target the Premier League together, taking cryptocurrencies one more step towards mainstream adoption.

IS: Like many other areas of life, football has suffered financially due to the pandemic. Could fintech solutions play a role in recouping vital revenues?

PK: Yes, things right now are hard for everyone, especially for sports clubs, who cannot please their fans with spectacular live performances. This is also another reason why Mercuryo made the decision to support an outstanding team in this difficult time.

2020 was an excellent year for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies that has led to the considerable growth of the industry. As a result, many industries not related to crypto, started taking notice of digital assets. The sports industry is among those that are now increasingly embracing cryptocurrencies.

Mercuryo and Swansea City also decided to join this trend and so struck a partnership. This is a good example of a union between technology and sport – how the two fields can work together. 

IS: What fintech solutions will you be providing Swansea FC with, and how are these beneficial for the club and the fans? 

PK: Mercuryo offers the same solutions for the fans of the club and the whole team, as we do for all our clients. Namely, high-quality, secure access to all the advantages of modern fintech products, including cryptocurrencies.

We provide seamless fiat-to-crypto payment gateway services to consumers and corporate clients across many countries. Our two primary services are a cryptocurrency wallet and a widget service. 

With compatibility across all devices and a user-friendly interface, our customers can purchase digital assets in their local currencies with just a few clicks. Our services work with Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay – methods that are familiar to almost anyone.

Our goal is to make digital assets more accessible for everyone on the globe. Since its launch in 2018, Mercuryo has become one of the leading crypto payment gateway providers in Europe, serving over 600,000 consumers and 180 prominent crypto projects, such as Binance, Bitfinex, and Trezor.

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