Back
Coinbase and Bitget become first crypto sponsors of Esports World Cup in Paris

Coinbase and Bitget become first crypto sponsors of Esports World Cup in Paris

100 Thieves won the EWC 2026 Valorant title in Paris as Coinbase and Bitget used France’s regulated digital-asset advertising framework for branding-focused sponsorships.

Fact Check
The official EWC press release confirms EWC 2026 moved to Paris (first edition outside Riyadh). The official EWC Valorant competition page explicitly names 100 Thieves as the winner, directly confirming the Valorant title claim. Multiple Crypto Briefing articles corroborate Coinbase and Bitget as the first crypto sponsors, enabled by France's regulated digital-asset advertising framework, with branding-focused (non-integration) sponsorships. The ARPP source confirms France has such a regulated crypto advertising framework under MiCA. All key elements of the claim are supported by official and secondary sources. The crypto-sponsor specifics rely primarily on Crypto Briefing rather than a direct EWC/Coinbase/Bitget announcement, which slightly limits certainty, but all core factual anchors verify.
Summary

Coinbase and Bitget joined the sponsor roster for EWC 2026 in Paris, making it the first Esports World Cup to feature crypto sponsors, while 100 Thieves won the Valorant championship with a 2-1 grand final victory over NRG on July 12. The sponsorships were presented as broad branding efforts rather than promotions for specific tokens, trading products or blockchain integrations, and the newer report says both exchanges operated as licensed entities under France’s updated digital-asset advertising framework. In Valorant, 100 Thieves advanced with 2-1 wins over MIBR in the July 10 quarterfinals and Nongshim RedForce in the July 11 semifinals before beating NRG in the title match. The report adds that Coinbase’s involvement fits a broader international expansion strategy across Europe and Asia, while Bitget’s participation similarly reflects efforts to build presence in markets where regulatory clarity exists.

Terms & Concepts
  • digital-asset advertising framework: Rules governing how crypto firms can market their brands and services in a given jurisdiction.
  • cryptocurrency sponsors: Crypto companies that support an event financially in exchange for branding and visibility.