FC Barcelona has scrapped its blockchain sponsorship with ZKP after links to controversial influencer Andrew Tate raised reputational concerns.
FC Barcelona has ended its sponsorship deal with blockchain company Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP), around six weeks after announcing the partnership in November 2025.
The La Liga club confirmed the termination in a statement on its website ahead of the new year, though the page has since been removed, along with other content which referenced the deal.
ZKP, which had also recently partnered with NRL’s Dolphins in Australia, is a blockchain company focused on cryptographic protocols and digital verification systems. Insider Sport has reached out to the Dolphins to ask whether they plan to follow Barcelona’s lead.
The statement from Barcelona read: “Regarding the recent reports about Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP), with whom FC Barcelona had entered into a sponsorship agreement making the company an Official Partner of the Club’s Cryptographic Protocol, FC Barcelona informs that:
“Due to a breach of the agreed contractual conditions and after the Club’s Compliance and Legal departments carried out the necessary verifications and analyses, FC Barcelona has confirmed the existence of actions that do not comply with the terms and conditions established in the signed sponsorship agreement. Consequently, FC Barcelona has terminated the aforementioned contract.
“The Club reiterates that it has no connection whatsoever with any token associated with said company, nor any responsibility or involvement in its issuance or management, and that these elements were not foreseen in the signed agreement.
“FC Barcelona reaffirms its commitment to transparency, the protection of its institutional reputation, and the strict compliance with the agreements it enters into.”
The agreement reportedly made ZKP an “official partner of the club’s cryptographic protocol” and included branding rights linked to blockchain initiatives. However, the club’s statement and subsequent reporting suggest the introduction of a cryptocurrency by ZKP soon after the partnership announcement sparked concern fans might perceive the coin as being officially endorsed by Barcelona.
The Andrew Tate connection
While the official statement highlights compliance issues and the coin as the reason for terminating the deal, the company’s links to controversial influencer Andrew Tate have also come under scrutiny.
Tate, a British figure facing multiple legal charges in Romania and the UK, has a public profile at odds with Barcelona’s stated values of equality and social responsibility. While it remains unclear whether Tate had any financial involvement with ZKP, the company reportedly promoted one of his social media posts, which has since been removed.
Despite this, not all links have been severed. Tate’s X account remains one of only three which ZKP follows, alongside Bitcoin and Barcelona. The company is also yet to remove its profile banner which references its deal with the La Liga club, despite the account being active.
The risks of rushed sponsorships
Blockchain partnerships in sports have become increasingly common in recent years. A SportQuake report from May 2025 found the online trading sector has tripled its sports sponsorship spend since 2019, reaching $183m during the 2024/25 season.
Industry experts suggest blockchain deals are seen as an attractive alternative to gambling sponsorships, which face increasing scrutiny and restrictions, such as the Premier League’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling agreements coming into effect next season.
However, deals often fail due to inadequate due diligence, with clubs entering agreements without fully verifying the company’s operations or reputation.
Birmingham City FC’s partnership with gambling operator God55 is a prime example, as Insider Sport revealed the firm had falsified licensing claims in multiple markets. The club terminated the deal just days after announcement, deleting all traces of the partnership without issuing a comment to supporters.
Barcelona itself experienced similar issues in 2021, when its NFT partnership with Ownix was terminated within two weeks after a consultant for the company was arrested for fraud and assault allegations. Manchester City also suspended and ultimately ended its partnership with cryptocurrency firm 3Key Technologies in late 2021, after failing to verify the identities and activities of its executives.
One reason blockchain companies are so attractive and seen as an ideal replacement for gambling deals is their willingness to pay premium fees, which can especially tempt clubs with financial pressures to prioritise immediate cash over thorough vetting.
