Millions of dollars in funding is set to be invested in the country's sporting codes following the inking of a multi-year deal that marks New Zealand's first cryptocurrency sponsorship of a professional sports team.
Under a new agreement, Swyftx will invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in sponsoring the One NZ Warriors. The deal is the first to be announced in a planned multimillion-dollar spend over the next two years to support the New Zealand sports sector.
Globally, sponsorship of sports teams and venue infrastructure is a multibillion-dollar business. The international sports sponsorship market was valued at around USD 60.17 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 65.7 billion in 2025, with long-term forecasts pushing it past USD 130 billion by 2033.(1)
Industry research shows over the past year crypto sponsorship spending surged by approximately 20 percent, reaching about USD 565 million globally. The average new deal size has also increased, with current deals averaging around USD 4.3 million, up from USD 2.6 million in the same period last year.(2)
Brisbane-based Swyftx, which acquired NZ's largest digital assets platform Easy Crypto earlier this year, has now entered the market with a three-year deal with the One New Zealand Warriors - marking the first time a cryptocurrency brand has sponsored a Kiwi professional sports team.
The partnership includes branding rights, corporate hospitality, player appearances and reserved tickets for every NRL home game at Go Media Stadium that Swyftx will make available to fans across a range of activities.
Jason Titman, chief executive of Swyftx, says the Warriors were a natural fit for the company's first New Zealand sponsorship.
He says the partnership signals the beginning of a broader strategy to move beyond single-team sponsorships and create a multi-code footprint that delivers value for both sports organisations and their fans.
"The Warriors are one of the country's most recognised sporting brands and they represent passion, resilience and a loyal fan base. That kind of connection with the community was exactly what we were looking for in a partner. We are also in discussion with other sporting codes as part of our expansion plans.
"There is a natural overlap between the energy of sport and crypto. Both are fast-moving spaces, and our research shows a strong connection between sports fans and digital asset investors.
"Internationally, football and motorsport are among the biggest beneficiaries, with digital asset investment in football now accounting for a significant portion of that total. Exchanges are increasingly visible in Formula 1 and other elite global codes," says Titman.
The company has already spent up to $10 million annually on sports sponsorships in Australia and plans to allocate millions of dollars to support professional teams in New Zealand over the next two years, with expectations that this figure will grow as local adoption expands.
Cameron George, CEO of the One New Zealand Warriors, says the partnership reflects the club's ambition to innovate commercially while adding value for fans.
"We are excited to welcome one of Australasia's largest digital asset platforms as a partner. This sponsorship will not only provide important financial support for the club but also deliver new experiences and benefits for our members and fans. For us, it is about finding partners who share our commitment to growth and who can bring something new to the table.
"Deals of this scale help us grow our fan base, make the sport more financially accessible for families through initiatives like ticket offers and provide critical funding that can be reinvested into pathways and programmes to grow the sport at every level," says George.
Titman says with crypto adoption sitting at just 9 to 14 percent in New Zealand compared to 20 to 25 percent in Australia, sport offers a viable pathway for growth.
"Our goal is to lift those numbers significantly, and partnering with sport is one of the most effective ways to do that."
Paul Quickenden, country manager of Swyftx NZ, says the partnership represents a pivotal moment for both the local sporting and digital asset sectors, signalling a major step forward in how New Zealand attracts and integrates international investment into sport.
He says the scale of the deal underscores Swyftx's long-term commitment to the New Zealand market and the company's belief in the power of sport to connect communities and accelerate innovation.
"This partnership marks the beginning of a new era of investment in New Zealand sport. Until now, crypto sponsorships have largely been confined to overseas markets, and we are changing that by bringing the same level of international energy and innovation to local codes.
"There is a significant opportunity for New Zealand sport to benefit from the scale of global digital asset investment. These partnerships can help unlock new revenue streams, strengthen fan engagement and ensure our professional and grassroots programmes are competing on a level playing field with the rest of the world. What we are seeing is the start of a long-term alignment between emerging technology and New Zealand's sporting economy."
Titman says the company has also committed to supporting women's sports, building on its track record of backing female athletes in Australia.
"Digital assets have been male-dominated for a long time, but that is rapidly changing. In Australia, we've invested in women's rugby league, women's rugby and women's AFL because we see real value in giving female athletes the same platform as their male counterparts.
"We want to mirror that commitment in New Zealand by helping grow women's sport and creating opportunities to engage more inclusively with fans," he says.
For the Warriors, the partnership delivers a significant commercial boost and sets a precedent for other professional codes as digital assets sponsorships gain momentum.
Notes:
[1] Research, S. (n.d.). Sports Sponsorship Market Share, Trends & Forecast Analysis Report 2033. https://straitsresearch.com/report/sports-sponsorship-market
[2] Howell, S. (2025, July 1). Crypto.com leads Crypto sponsorship surge - SportQuake. SportQuake. https://www.sportquake.com/news-insights/crypto-sports-sponsorship-spend-surges-20-towards-record-levels/