MoonPay secures eight-figure main sponsorship from the X Games as the new league format launches

Source: Yellow Original Title: MoonPay Secures Eight-Figure Title Sponsorship of the X Games as New League Format Launches

Original Link: Cryptocurrency payment provider MoonPay secured a three-year title sponsorship with X Games in an eight-figure deal that rebrands the long-standing action sports competition as MoonPay X Games League.

Announced on January 25 during X Games Aspen 2026, the partnership grants MoonPay category exclusivity in finance, banking, and cryptocurrencies for the new league format.

X Games shifts from annual standalone events to a year-round team competition launching in summer 2026.

MoonPay will have brand presence at draft events, digital content, and broadcasts throughout the season. The agreement includes a transfer clause allowing selected partners from MoonPay’s network to participate through integrated league-level activations.

League Structure and Athlete Compensation

The MoonPay X Games League drafted 150 athletes who opted to be eligible for four regional teams. The March 12 draft in Cosm Los Angeles assigned athletes two- or three-year contracts with mixed rosters of 10 competitors per team.

Athletes compete in skateboarding, BMX, snowboarding, and freeski across three summer stops and three winter stops.

The format replaces individual competitions with cash prizes for team scoring and season championships.

X Games Aspen 2026, held from January 23 to 25 at Buttermilk Mountain, was the last event under the traditional independent format. The league provides athletes with base salaries, stipends for health insurance, and covered travel expenses.

Cryptocurrency Sports Sponsorship Precedents

Founded in 2019 and based in Miami, MoonPay operates payment infrastructure enabling conversions from fiat to cryptocurrencies. The company serves over 30 million users in 180 countries and processed more than $8 billion in transactions by 2025.

Crypto companies had already established significant sports sponsorship positions during the peak of the 2021 market.

One exchange platform secured a 10-year, $175 million partnership with UFC as a global fight uniform sponsor, while several exchanges purchased stadium naming rights.

Multiple crypto sponsorship deals from 2021-2022 caused controversy as market conditions deteriorated. The collapse of a major platform in November 2022 left numerous sports agreements unpaid, including Super Bowl ads featuring celebrities who later faced criticism.

The MoonPay X Games partnership arrives as cryptocurrency regulatory frameworks evolve under the Trump administration, with industry-backed stablecoin legislation pending congressional consideration.