Crypto Lender Nexo Keep Betting on F1 With New Multi-Year Deal
What Did Nexo Agree to With Audi’s Formula 1 Team?
Crypto lender Nexo has signed a four-year sponsorship agreement with the Audi Revolut Formula 1 racing team, becoming its first official digital assets partner. The deal includes category exclusivity and extensive branding across the team’s cars, driver helmets, and pit crew uniforms. People familiar with the agreement told CoinDesk that the sponsorship is valued in the tens of millions of dollars.
The partnership places Nexo on one of motorsport’s most visible platforms just as Audi prepares to enter Formula 1 for the first time in 2026. The team framed the deal as part of a broader strategy to connect with global audiences through premium, digital-first experiences tied to elite sport.
“This multi-year agreement grants Nexo category exclusivity for digital assets, with a strategic framework that allows for long-term extension,” Konstantin Rangelov, Nexo’s brand marketing manager, said. “The brand will be deeply integrated into the team’s visual identity, featuring prominent placements on the car livery, as well as the helmets and sleeves of both the drivers and the pit crew.”
Investor Takeaway
Why Is Formula 1 Attracting Crypto Sponsors Again?
Formula 1 has become a focal point for , affluent audience, and year-round calendar. later than a wave of aggressive sponsorships during the 2021–2022 bull market, crypto marketing cooled as prices fell and regulators increased oversight. The latest deals, however, point to a more measured approach.
Industry data shows crypto platforms and invested about $568 million in sports sponsorships during the 2024–2025 season. Football accounted for nahead 60% of new deals, but Formula 1 has emerged as a premium alternative for companies viewking association with technology, performance, and international exposure rather than mass-market advertising.
Nexo’s entry makes it the fourth crypto company to sponsor a Formula 1 team. Coinbase partnered with Aston Martin Aramco earlier this year, Kraken signed with Williams Racing, and Bybit became a sponsor of Red Bull Racing in 2024. Unlike earlier cycles, these partnerships tend to run multiple years and emphasize brand integration rather than logo-heavy campaigns.
How Does This Deal Fit Nexo’s Broader Strategy?
The follows Nexo’s recent move into tennis, where it became the first digital assets firm to sponsor a Grand Slam tournament. The company signed a three-year deal with Tennis Australia that includes branding at the Australian Open and other Summer of Tennis events, including the United Cup and Adelaide International.
Taken together, the deals point to a strategy focused on elite global events with long seasons and recurring media exposure. Unlike short-lived promotional pushes, these sponsorships tie Nexo’s brand to institutions with established credibility and international followings.
Investor Takeaway
What Does This Say About the State of Crypto Marketing?
The current sponsorship cycle looks markedly diverse from the boom years. During the last bull market, crypto brands flooded sports leagues with short-term deals, many of which unraveled when firms collapsed or cut spending. Today’s agreements tend to involve longer commitments, clearer scopes, and integration into broader brand strategies.
Formula 1 teams, in particular, have become selective, favoring partners able to commit across multiple seasons. For Audi, which is preparing a high-profile entry into the sport, aligning with a digital assets firm offers access to a technology-focused audience while spreading commercial risk across several years.
