Circle, the company behind the USDC stablecoin, has secured a sponsorship deal with Chelsea Football Club. According to an announcement on Friday, Circle's name and USDC branding will appear on Chelsea player jerseys beginning in the 2026/2027 season.
The partnership arrives approximately three months after the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) sent warning letters to Premier League clubs, cautioning them against accepting sponsorship deals from unauthorized financial companies, including crypto businesses. The FCA expressed concern that such arrangements could expose football fans to potentially problematic financial products and may breach UK financial services laws.
Lucy Castledine, the FCA's director of consumer investments, stated at the time: "Millions of football fans trust their club's badge. Clubs should not let unauthorised financial firms exploit that loyalty by putting potentially dodgy products in front of millions of fans."
Circle UK Trading Limited, the company's UK-registered entity, has been authorized by the FCA since 2018 to provide certain financial services to UK residents. Stablecoins like USDC are legal to use in the country, though lawmakers are still developing a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets.
Circle noted that while USDC is "issued by certain regulated affiliates," the stablecoin itself is "not issued or regulated under the laws of the United Kingdom." The FCA did not immediately provide comment on the sponsorship arrangement.
