Much-awaited The Showdown is all set to kick off in less than a month. The golf fans will finally get to see World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy take on LIV Golfers Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. It is scheduled to be hosted on December 17 at the Shadow Creek. While the player names and venue have become old news, there is one new update regarding it. 

As reported by Sports Business Journal’s Josh Carpenter, “Crypto.com is coming on board to title sponsor next month’s “Showdown” between Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka.” Organizers of the event were looking for an $8-$10 million sponsorship. Reportedly, Crypto.com is paying for the entire prize purse in cryptocurrency. This will mark the first time that a multimillion-dollar purse will be paid in cryptocurrency for a golf tournament.

Crypto.com is a leading cryptocurrency platform known for its extensive offerings in digital finance. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Singapore, it has grown to serve over 100 million users globally as of 2024. The platform provides services like cryptocurrency trading, a digital wallet, DeFi (decentralized finance) staking, and an NFT marketplace. It supports over 350 cryptocurrencies, making it one of the most diverse exchanges available. It has a valuation of a whopping $13 billion. This will be the first time a major golf tournament will have a multimillion-dollar purse paid in CRO Crypto, and well, the company is always all in for anything exclusive.

“The Showdown has been about innovation from the beginning and our commitment to delivering the best entertainment possible for the fans by uniting our sport,” said Bryson DeChambeau. “It is beyond exciting to have Crypto.com now on board to provide a true first with a cryptocurrency-based prize purse.” This collaboration is surely one of a kind and will undoubtedly make the sport of golf soar to new heights amid the ongoing rift and tension.

“Crypto.com’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to cryptocurrency, and today’s announcement is our latest effort by introducing the world’s first major golf tournament with a purse in CRO cryptocurrency,” said Kris Marzalek, CEO of Crypto.com. The company solely believed in the power of sports in bringing fans to the most licensed crypto platform in the world. As it turns out, this is not the first time that the company has come under the limelight for its unique partnership.

Crypto.com’s relationship with the sports world earlier

Crypto.com has expanded beyond just an exchange to include a variety of services. Their partnerships have included sports deals with major leagues, a notable example being their involvement with Formula 1 and the UFC, reinforcing their brand visibility globally. “At Crypto.com, we look for ‘firsts,’” said Steven Kalifowitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Crypto.com.

Crypto.com started sponsoring sports events back in 2021, having bagged the highest number of events to add their name to the title. It was a whopping thirty-three events. The number has kept adding and subtracting through the past four years, and as of 2024, it walked in with sixteen existing sponsorships and twenty-six new sponsors. This is the highest acquired space after the inaugural year, and the journey sure is yet a long way to go.