Chelsea FC Signs Stablecoin Sponsor After FCA Warning

Chelsea Football Club has announced a sponsorship deal with Circle, the issuer behind the USDC stablecoin. The partnership will see USDC branding appear on player jerseys for the 2026/2027 season.

The news arrives just months after the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned Premier League clubs about sponsorship arrangements involving 'unauthorized' financial firms, including some crypto-related businesses.

Circle notes that its UK entity, Circle UK Trading Limited, has been listed as an authorized company with the FCA since 2018 to provide certain financial services to residents. However, USDC is not issued or regulated under UK law.

The FCA's warning highlighted concerns over the marketing of potentially non-compliant products to millions of football fans through sponsorships. The regulator emphasized that unauthorized firms could exploit the trust placed in club branding to promote unapproved products.