From tobacco and telecoms to tokens and DAOs, Formula 1’s sponsorship landscape is evolving. The partnership between ApeCoin and Alpine reflects a wider move by crypto brands into elite motorsport.
Not long ago, the Formula 1 pitlane was lined with logos from tobacco giants, telecom providers and oil companies. Brands like Marlboro, Vodafone, and Shell dominated the visual identity of the sport, forming part of the fabric of race weekends across decades.
Today, a different kind of brand is buying its way into the paddock. At the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, ApeCoin DAO became the latest crypto-linked name to appear on the grid, launching a multi-year deal with the BWT Alpine F1 Team. The partnership blends community-led governance with one of the world’s most traditional motorsports.
The shift from conventional corporate backers to Web3 platforms and online trading firms has not happened overnight. But recent seasons show that F1 is now seen as a valuable platform for reaching digitally native audiences, particularly by crypto and fintech brands looking for global reach and credibility.
According to the SportQuake Marketplace: Trading Report, seven online trading firms are currently sponsoring F1 teams. That includes CFI Financial Group with Lewis Hamilton, Pepperstone with Aston Martin, and AvaTrade with Red Bull Racing. The number has more than tripled since 2020.
The growing presence of trading and crypto firms in Formula 1 is not purely cosmetic. It reflects changing marketing strategies in financial services and a sport more open than ever to digital-first brands.
In the 2024/25 season, trading companies will spend a combined $183 million across global sports sponsorships, according to SportQuake. F1 now accounts for a significant share of that spend, overtaking sports like cricket and tennis, and trailing only football and basketball.
While traditional sectors such as tobacco and alcohol have faced increasing regulation around visibility in sport, crypto and online trading firms have capitalised on that space — especially in markets where regulation remains fluid or less restrictive. The result is a sharp rise in both the volume and profile of F1 sponsorships.
Formula 1’s global calendar, with races across 24 countries, offers crypto and fintech firms a rare mix of scale and regional relevance. For companies seeking reach in markets like the UAE, India, and South America, the sport’s footprint is strategically valuable.
A new phase in F1 marketing
While online trading platforms have been active in Formula 1 for several seasons, dedicated crypto brands are now carving out a distinct space. These partnerships are often shaped by community involvement and decentralised governance, rather than traditional commercial structures.
ApeCoin DAO’s partnership with the BWT Alpine F1 Team is one of the clearest examples. Unlike typical corporate deals, the collaboration was proposed and approved by the ApeCoin community through a decentralised voting process. The agreement included race-day activations, digital experiences, and integration with the emerging ApeChain infrastructure.
Speaking at the launch last year, Hervé Larren, a member of the APE Foundation Special Council, described the partnership as an alignment of values.
“Being French, BWT Alpine F1 Team was the first name that came to mind,” he said, noting Alpine’s shared focus on innovation and technology. David Gendry, Alpine’s Chief Commercial Officer, added that the team was “excited to showcase [its] combined expertise with digital and physical activations.”
Unlike early partnerships that often centred on logo placement alone, the current wave includes layered activations, Web3 integration, and community engagement.
Crypto.com helped open the door
Before decentralised communities like ApeCoin DAO entered the paddock, F1’s first major crypto sponsorship came from Crypto.com. The company became the sport’s official cryptocurrency sponsor in 2021, agreeing to a five-year deal with Formula 1 Group itself, rather than with an individual team.
The agreement included trackside branding at several races and title sponsorship of the Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, where the partnership was prominently visible both on and off the circuit. It was one of the first high-profile attempts to link cryptocurrency with a global sport, and it helped shift perceptions of crypto from niche to mainstream among F1’s large international fanbase.
Since then, Crypto.com has expanded its visibility in sport, but F1 remains a cornerstone of its strategy. Its early presence in the paddock is widely seen as having set a precedent, giving credibility to crypto partnerships and demonstrating the commercial potential of the space.
Regulation remains uncertain, but not restrictive
Despite the growing number of crypto and trading sponsors in Formula 1, the regulatory landscape remains mixed. So far, F1 has not imposed formal restrictions on crypto branding, allowing teams to negotiate deals independently. This has made the sport attractive to Web3 projects and trading firms looking for flexible, high-impact visibility.
By contrast, other sports have begun to apply limits. In the Premier League, a league-wide decision will prohibit gambling brands from appearing on the front of team shirts from the 2026/27 season. While not aimed at crypto, the move suggests a broader scrutiny of sectors associated with financial risk.
Some national football federations have also introduced rules around advertising cryptocurrency products, particularly those related to tokens or exchanges.
For now, F1 continues to operate without such barriers. This open environment has helped the sport become a preferred platform for fintech and crypto companies. According to SportQuake, Formula 1 offers “24 powerful local activation opportunities” each season, as well as access to high-end hospitality, regional rights, and digital platforms — all of which align well with the audience crypto brands are targeting.
Still, future regulation remains a possibility. Crypto sponsorships are already facing increased attention from regulators in the UK, EU, and Australia, particularly where promotions might be seen as financial advice or where token offerings are involved.
Brands like ApeCoin that operate through decentralised models may also face unique questions around accountability and compliance. For now, though, the sport offers a window of opportunity.
