Annual fee of nearly $90 million: Circle (CRCL.US) became the Premier League's first jersey main sponsor

According to Woofun AI, Circle (CRCL.US) has officially become Chelsea FC's home team jersey sponsor, and the USDC logo will be unveiled in the Premier League. The move marks Circle (CRCL.US) breaking the traditional advertising landscape by becoming the first cryptocurrency financial services company to become a major jersey sponsor of a Premier League club.

The underlying reason lies in breaking through compliance barriers and high budget investments. The sponsorship position has been vacant for three years, and it is rumored that Chelsea is expecting an annual sponsorship fee of £65 million (about US$88.3 million). The USDC logo will debut in Chelsea's first home game of the new season against Brighton and Hove Albion this Sunday.

Notably, the UK Financial Conduct Authority warned clubs not to cooperate with unauthorized institutions in June, and Circle (CRCL.US) was granted an electronic money license as early as 2016, which fully complies with regulatory requirements. According to data compiled by Woofun AI, this compliance advantage distinguishes it from trading platforms that previously only acted as armband sponsors.

Judging from the horizontal comparison of the industry, crypto giants were previously mostly limited to minor exposure levels. OKX (OKX) and Kraken became armband sponsors for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, respectively. Among them, OE's sponsorship fee in 2023 is reported to be $70 million per year, while Kraken did not disclose specific terms. Circle (CRCL.US)'s victory as the main sponsor means that the penetration level of crypto capital in top sports marketing has increased significantly, from a marginal armband to a core visual center.

Currently, Circle (CRCL.US) declined to comment on CoinDesk's request for an interview, and financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. Kraken also did not disclose the terms of its partnership. This quiet strategy contrasts with high market expectations and highlights the secrecy of top sports sponsorship negotiations. As the new season begins, USDC will directly face hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. This is not only an upgrade in brand exposure, but also a key step in mainstream culture in the crypto industry's compliance narrative.