For the first time in its history, the Esports World Cup has crypto sponsors on the marquee. Coinbase and Bitget are both participating as sponsors of EWC 2026, a development made possible by France’s updated regulatory framework for digital asset advertising. The backdrop for this milestone is a $75 million prize pool tournament currently unfolding at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.
The immediate action on the Valorant side involves Nongshim RedForce and BBL Esports, who square off on July 12 at 1:00 PM CEST for third place.
Crypto walks through the front door of esports
Previous editions of the Esports World Cup, held in Riyadh, operated without crypto sponsorship. Regulatory restrictions in various jurisdictions made those partnerships complicated at best, impossible at worst. France’s evolving stance on digital asset promotion has changed the calculus.
Coinbase, the largest US-based crypto exchange, and Bitget, a global derivatives-focused platform, are now officially part of the EWC 2026 sponsor roster. Neither company has direct ties to the teams competing in the Valorant segment, including NS RedForce and BBL Esports. This is pure brand exposure, not team-level integration.
