Barcelona Distances Itself from Sponsor’s Cryptocurrency After Fan Backlash

Barcelona has issued a public clarification after fans raised concerns about a new cryptocurrency promoted by its recent sponsor, Zero Knowledge Proof. Although the sponsorship deal was signed in mid-November, the club faced immediate questions when ZKP launched a digital coin soon after. Barcelona responded firmly, assuring supporters that it has no involvement with the token and no role in its creation, promotion, or management. The club stated on its website that the digital asset is entirely separate from its partnership arrangement.

An Unusual Sponsorship Sparks Debate

Football clubs regularly enter partnerships across a wide range of industries, sometimes in unexpected categories. Arsenal picked up a fabric care partner in Persil last year, while Manchester City added Kellogg’s as a breakfast cereal partner. But ZKP is far more mysterious. The company has not disclosed clear ownership, leadership, or even a verifiable location. On its website, the project is described as being run by a pseudonymous collective spread across multiple jurisdictions, offering almost no transparency about who is behind it.

Experts Warn Fans About Crypto Risks

The lack of public information has alarmed financial analysts. University of Sussex professor Carol Alexander said that while Barcelona’s global brand gives visibility to crypto ventures like ZKP, it can unintentionally create a sense of legitimacy for projects that may not be fully understood. She explained that supporters should exercise caution before investing in any digital asset and consider who controls the token, what documentation exists, and what protections are available if things go wrong. With ZKP, she noted, none of these questions has clear answers.

Questions Around ZKP’s Structure and Intentions

Public details about the company remain scarce. Media reports indicate that an earlier version of its terms listed an office in Apia, the capital of Samoa, although that information has not been publicly confirmed by ZKP. The company also claims not to have a single headquarters. Even its name aligns with a cryptographic term related to blockchain privacy technology, adding another layer of ambiguity about the project’s nature and long term goals. The uncertainty has made fans and crypto observers uneasy.

Barcelona’s Financial Pressures Add Complexity

The sponsorship also comes at a sensitive financial moment for Barcelona. The club has been struggling in recent years to raise revenue and ease its heavy debts. Some analysts believe the club may have agreed to the deal quickly because of financial pressures. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire said the club appeared to have adopted a strategy of securing money first and investigating the risks later. He added that crypto ventures often seek high profile partnerships to build credibility and attract customers.

Concerns Raised by Former Barcelona Player

Questions intensified when former Barcelona youth player Xavier Vilajoana publicly asked the club to explain how the agreement was reached. Vilajoana, who is reportedly preparing a bid for the club’s presidency, also highlighted that ZKP follows only three accounts on X, one of which belongs to controversial influencer Andrew Tate. The detail sparked further debate among supporters who were already uneasy about the partnership. Barcelona has yet to comment on this aspect or elaborate on the internal approval process behind the deal.

A Delicate Balancing Act Ahead

Barcelona’s swift move to distance itself from the cryptocurrency suggests the club is aware of the potential reputational risk. With little transparency around the project and growing concerns among supporters, the club may face increasing pressure to reassess its relationship with ZKP. For now, the club insists its partnership does not extend to any involvement in the digital coin. Whether this assurance calms fan anxiety or leads to deeper scrutiny remains to be seen as the situation continues to evolve.