Lionel Messi’s new contract with French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) includes partial payments in cryptocurrency.
Messi signed a two-year deal with PSG earlier this week, with an option for a third, that will net him an annual salary of $41 million U.S., and a reported $30-million U.S. signing bonus.
PSG said Thursday that Messi’s “welcome package” includes partial payment in the cryptocurrency “$PSG Fan Tokens.”
The revelation has triggered a rally in the cryptocurrency that PSG first issued to its fans over a year ago. The $PSG token, created in January 2020 with cryptocurrency platform Socios.com, was designed to help PSG build a digital fan community.
In a written statement PSG claimed the move to pay Messi in cryptocurrency positions it as one of the “most innovative and avant-garde brands in sport globally.”
PSG said that embracing Socios.com and $PSG Fan Tokens has enabled the club to engage with a new global audience and create a significant digital revenue stream.
England’s Manchester City soccer club launched its own digital fan token in March of this year using the same technology as PSG.
Messi, age 34 and originally from Argentina, has, until now, spent his entire career playing with the soccer club Barcelona. He left the Spanish team after failing to reach a new contract agreement with that club.
