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FC Barcelona is facing criticism over a three-year sponsorship agreement with Zero-Knowledge Proof, a Samoan-registered blockchain startup that has disclosed no information about its founders, executives, or funding sources.
The deal, announced this month on X, made ZKP the club’s “official blockchain technology partner” despite the company having virtually no public presence before the announcement. Fan advocates and crypto analysts warn the partnership could expose Barcelona supporters to high-risk token investments.
The Barcelona crypto deal centers on ZKP’s new status as the club’s “official blockchain technology partner,” a designation that critics fear could lend the start-up legitimacy despite deep uncertainties surrounding its leadership.
For crypto-aware fans and policy watchers, the Barcelona crypto deal highlights how financially distressed clubs may be tempted to partner with firms that would normally struggle to gain mainstream visibility.
The core issue troubling analysts is the lack of transparency around ZKP’s team and finances. While the Barcelona crypto deal is framed publicly as an innovative step into blockchain, ZKP’s website provides no names of founders, executives, or engineers, even as it claims access to $100 million in funding.
Its terms of service previously pointed to a Samoan-registered company, Braxova Ltd, though that reference has since been removed.
ZKP defended its anonymity with an unusual statement: “Everyone asks, ‘Who’s behind this?’ As if knowing the names would make the code stronger. It won’t.” The firm insists it is composed of engineers, cryptographers, “system killers,” and former founders, but offers no verifiable identities.
Its reluctance to disclose basic leadership information has intensified scrutiny around the Barcelona crypto deal, especially after the company launched 200 million tokens shortly after the announcement.
Martin Calladine, an author who has written extensively on crypto scams in football, told reporters the situation is troubling. He called the sponsorship “deeply concerning,” warning that fans could be persuaded to buy tokens that “could easily end up being worthless.”
His comments reflect fears that the Barcelona crypto deal could funnel inexperienced supporters toward high-risk assets marketed through the club’s digital channels.
The debate intensified when influencer Andrew Tate posted a video on X promoting “zero knowledge proof privacy systems” for hiding crypto from tax authorities.
Tate did not mention the company directly, but ZKP amplified the clip by sharing a version with its logo on Telegram. The firm’s X account follows only three profiles: Tate, Barcelona, and Bitcoin. For many observers, the link added another dimension of suspicion to the Barcelona crypto deal.
Former board member Xavier Vilajoana, now a presidential candidate running against Joan Laporta, openly criticized the partnership, asking what due diligence was done before signing.
Describing the agreement as “a sign of desperation,” he said, “It is incredibly concerning that Barca’s leadership would choose to associate the club with a company whose background raises so many red flags.”
Barcelona issued a statement on Wednesday attempting to distance itself from ZKP’s token sale. The club said it had “no connection whatsoever” to the token, held “no responsibility” for it, and was not using “the associated technology.” Yet the clarification has done little to quell concerns about the Barcelona crypto deal, especially as details about ZKP’s legal identity and staffing remain unclear.
The Barcelona crypto deal emerges at a time when the club is weighed down by significant financial trouble. With €469 million in net debt and nearly €900 million tied to ongoing stadium renovations, Barcelona’s fiscal challenges remain severe.
Years of overspending on transfers between 2017 and 2019, followed by penalties for breaching La Liga’s spending limits, have forced the club to sell major players and future revenue streams just to stabilize operations.
Barcelona also suffered a €141 million loss last year after investors failed to finalize payment for a stake in Barca Vision, the club’s digital arm created to lead NFT and metaverse initiatives. For analysts, this checkered record raises questions about whether the Barcelona crypto deal reflects strategic planning or financial urgency.
The Barcelona crypto deal, therefore, is more than a sponsorship announcement—it is a test of how the club balances innovation with responsibility at a moment when supporters are increasingly exposed to speculative digital assets.
