FCA warns Premier League clubs over crypto sponsors

The UK's financial regulator has warned Premier League football clubs that sponsorship deals with unauthorized cryptocurrency and trading firms could expose fans to significant financial harm and create legal, money laundering, and reputational risks for the clubs themselves. The Financial Conduct Authority has written to top-tier clubs and the league organization, stating that some unauthorized companies appear to be using partnerships with high-profile teams to promote financial products to British consumers without the required permission.

Officials said the regulator identified concerns that these sponsorship arrangements, which include shirt branding and stadium advertising, may be helping firms breach UK financial promotion rules by reaching large, loyal audiences of supporters. Lucy Castledine, the FCA's director of consumer investments, said millions of fans place trust in their clubs and should not be exposed to potentially unsafe financial products through these commercial relationships. The FCA warned that customers who use unregulated firms risk losing all their money and are unlikely to have access to standard UK regulatory protections if something goes wrong.