- Curry joins Tom Brady and Trevor Lawrence in partnering with FTX
- 33-year-old earns some US$40m from endorsements, according to Forbes
- FTX also holds the naming rights to the home of the Miami Heat and California Memorial Stadium, while also sponsoring MLB
National Basketball Association (NBA) star Steph Curry has made his first move into the cryptocurrency space by becoming a global brand ambassador for FTX in a long-term deal.
An official release said that Curry’s role as an ambassador will see him expand the reach of the FTX brand and endorse ‘the viability of cryptocurrency to new audiences around the world’ through several upcoming initiatives.
In return for promoting the cryptocurrency exchange, the Golden State Warriors guard will receive an equity stake in FTX, which will also work with the three-time NBA champion’s Eat.Learn.Play foundation on charitable initiatives.
Curry, who recently ranked 30th in SportsPro’s list of the world’s 50 Most Marketable Athletes, is the latest high-profile sportsperson to team up with FTX this year, joining National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks Tom Brady and Trevor Lawrence.
“After meeting and speaking with Stephen, it was clear that he is a seamless fit for FTX,” said FTX chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried. “His tireless commitment to charity alongside a ferocious work ethic to become the greatest in any arena he steps foot in, whether it is basketball, investing or business, perfectly align with FTX’s core values.”
Curry is the 11th highest paid athlete in the world, according to Forbes, which estimates that the 33-year-old earns US$40 million from his endorsement deals with the likes of Under Armour, Callaway Golf and CarMax.
For FTX, the partnership with Curry continues its march on the sports sponsorship space. The company now holds the naming rights to the home venues of the NBA’s Miami Heat and the California Golden Bears college football team, while it is also a sponsor of Major League Baseball (MLB).
