Chelsea FC Signs Deal with Circle to Wear USDC Branded Shirts
Circle's FCA license clears the way for Chelsea FC to wear USDC branding on its shirts this season, as the Premier League club signs a principal partnership and front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with the stablecoin issuer. The partnership was announced Friday, two months after Britain's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) advised Premier League clubs to vet their crypto backers.
Circle holds an FCA electronic money issuer license in the UK, which puts it on the right side of the regulatory line. The men's, women's, and academy shirts will carry USDC and Circle logos through to the 2026/27 season, under a partnership announced by Chelsea FC.
USDC has $73.3 billion in circulation and $14.8 trillion moved in a quarter, according to Circle's second-quarter report on August 5. Jeremy Allaire, co-founder and CEO of Circle, said 'We built USDC on the belief that money should work seamlessly for everyone everywhere, the way the internet does.'
The partnership is seen as a sign of a sports marketing comeback for the wider industry after firms pulled back three years ago.
'This partnership with Circle positions Chelsea at the forefront of football's digital evolution,' said Chelsea FC President Jason Gannon. Kash Razzaghi, chief commercial officer of Circle, called the shirt placement a picture of 'open, borderless' finance.