Cryptocurrency has changed the world in no small measure. We have, over the years, seen incredible transformations triggered by crypto adoption. From bookmakers offering boxing betting with crypto to the likes of Microsoft, Twitch, and KFC accepting Bitcoin as a means of payment, cryptocurrency is transforming the financial industry.
Indeed, some athletes already have an eye on the future and are keen to tap into the explosive fortunes cryptocurrency promises. Notably, some of these athletes have begun receiving their earnings in cryptocurrency.
Care to know some of these groundbreaking athletes?
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rogers needs no introduction to the sporting world. The Green Bay Packers quarterback is unarguably one of the best quarterbacks the National Football League (NFL) has ever seen. He won the Super Bowl XLV and was the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Aside from his sporting achievements, he made history when he announced that he would take part of his wages in Bitcoin in 2021.
Although he didn’t disclose the exact percentage of his salary he’d collect in Bitcoin, it ought to be a massive part of his expected $134 million paycheck. Rogers also disclosed that he’d give out $1 million worth of Bitcoin to fans, a move sponsored by Cash App.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi shocked the world when he announced that he was ending his 20-year romance with Barcelona in 2021 to join PSG.
He joined the club and is currently among the most-paid footballers globally. However, not many know that the seven times Ballon d’Or winner earns part of his money in cryptocurrency.
Lionel Messi gets paid a small number of his wages in “$PSG Fans Tokens.” It was new because footballers receiving their wages in crypto was rare.
Also, the crypto wasn’t popular, making football fans dig deep into what the $PSG Fan Token is.
It turns out that it’s a coin that gives the holder exclusive access to some of the club’s benefits and has a market cap of just over $25 million. The amount of the coins Messi owns remains a mystery, but he’s the most high-profile footballer to earn in crypto.
Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson plays professional basketball for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. He’s a four-time NBA Champion and a five-time NBA All-Star.
Therefore, it was massive for the crypto community when he announced that he’d take part of his salary in Bitcoin, using Cash App.
Thompson also announced that he’d give out $1 million worth of crypto to users on the payment platform. Like most other sports stars, he didn’t disclose the exact percentage he received in Bitcoin.
However, he’s due to earn around $189 million throughout the five-year contract he signed in 2019.
Thompson mentioned that he partnered with Bitcoin because he believed it had the potential to become the future of money.
Landon Cassil
There have been many crypto-sponsored deals in NASCAR, but only a few drivers earn their payments in crypto. Landon Cassil was a game-changer when he agreed to receive his payment in crypto after signing a new 19-race sponsorship deal with Voyager.
He confessed that it isn’t his first time on crypto, and he’s an active Bitcoin investor.
Cassil mentioned that he’s happy to sign a new deal with the brand and hopes to help spread cryptocurrency’s awareness.
The agreement also sees him partnering with StormX to help popularize crypto in NASCAR racing. He remained the only NASCAR driver to agree to be paid all of his wages in cryptocurrency.
Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala also announced that he would receive part of his wages in crypto on the same day as Thompson. Iguodala didn’t state the percentage he received in crypto, but he earned around $2.5 million in the 2021-22 season.
He also donated $1 million worth of Bitcoin to his followers on his social media platforms.
Whether Andre gained or lost with his crypto payment remains a mystery, but his performances and sporting prowess are evident.
He’s won the NBA Championship four times in his career, was the All-Star in 2012, and was an NBA Finals MVP in 2015. He plays for Golden State Warriors in the NBA as a Small Forward.
Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Backham Jr last signed for the Los Angeles Rams before the 2021 NFL season and achieved tremendous success.
The wide receiver was instrumental in the team winning the Super Bowl, which was his career’s first. However, he was injured midway through the Super Bowl, which later turned out to be a torn ACL.
Odell hasn’t played any match since his injury and is currently a free agent. He received his $1.25 million payment during his stint at the Los Angeles Ram in Bitcoin and donated $1 million worth of cryptocurrency to charity.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrency volatility could serve as an advantage as well as a disadvantage. While the value could rise anytime and increase the holder’s worth, it could also drop and reduce significantly.
This unreliability is why many sportspeople opt to receive their money in fiat currency. Despite that, all the athletes on this list receive part or all of their money in cryptocurrency.
