Adidas AG, the German multinational corporation known for crafting athletic shoes, sportswear, and accessories, is making a significant push into the blockchain and metaverse space. On December 2, 2021, the company announced strategic partnerships with the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT project, the comic series Punks Comic, and prominent cryptocurrency investor Gmoney. The move marks one of the most high-profile brand entries into the metaverse by a major sportswear company.
A Leap Into the Metaverse
Adidas revealed the collaboration through its official Twitter account, stating: “Today we leap Into The Metaverse with [Bored Ape Yacht Club], [Gmoney] & [Punks Comic]. It’s time to enter a world of limitless possibilities.” The tweet garnered over 8,000 likes and more than 4,000 retweets, and it directed followers to a dedicated portal called Adidas Metaverse. The landing page features the message: “It’s happening. Gmoney, Punks Comic and the Bored Ape Yacht Club lead Adidas into the Metaverse. Let’s go.”
As a visible token of the deal, Adidas changed its Twitter profile picture to an image of a Bored Ape wearing a yellow Adidas jacket with the classic three-stripe design. On-chain data shows that Adidas purchased Bored Ape Yacht Club #8,774 for 46 ETH (approximately $156,000 at the time of the transaction). The Bored Ape features heart-shaped sunglasses, a gold hoop earring, a “bored” expression, a fisherman’s hat, and blue fur.
Wallet Holdings and NFT Portfolio
According to data from DappRadar, the wallet address that acquired BAYC #8,774 holds a total of 13 NFTs from 11 unique collections, with an estimated total value exceeding $200,000. Among these, the most expensive are BAYC #8,774 and a Punks Comic token titled “The Hunt for the Lost Robbies,” which was purchased for 6.95 ETH. The remaining NFTs in the portfolio have floor values ranging from $17 to $549. It remains unclear whether all assets in this wallet are owned by Adidas, but the company’s active purchase and profile picture update strongly indicate its involvement.
No official date has been announced for the public release of co-branded NFTs between Adidas and BAYC. However, the partnership signals a deeper integration of NFTs into Adidas’s marketing and product strategy.
Broader Strategy With Coinbase and The Sandbox
Adidas confirmed that it has also partnered with Coinbase, one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, as part of its metaverse expansion. While the exact details of that collaboration have not yet been disclosed, the company emphasized that the metaverse represents one of the most “exciting” developments in the digital landscape. Additionally, Adidas is working with The Sandbox, a blockchain-based virtual world, although further specifics remain under wraps.
The announcement comes just weeks after Adidas’s main competitor Nike also revealed its metaverse ambitions. On November 18, Nike published a blog post introducing Nikeland, a virtual world built on the Roblox platform. Nikeland aims to be “a place where competition and creativity are abundant for all.” Both brands are leveraging virtual experiences and NFTs to engage their audiences in new and immersive ways.
Industry Implications and Market Impact
Adidas’s foray into the metaverse reflects a broader trend among global brands seeking to connect with younger, digitally native consumers through blockchain technology and NFTs. The partnership with BAYC, one of the most valuable NFT communities, positions Adidas at the forefront of brand engagement in Web3. By collaborating with Gmoney, a well-known NFT collector and influencer, Adidas also gains credibility within the crypto community.
The sportswear giant’s moves have drawn significant attention on social media and within the NFT ecosystem. As traditional corporations increasingly adopt digital assets, the line between physical and virtual brand experiences continues to blur. Adidas’s strategy of combining high-profile NFT partnerships with cryptocurrency exchange integration suggests a long-term commitment to the metaverse, potentially setting a benchmark for other mainstream brands to follow.
With Nike and Adidas both firmly planted in the virtual realm, the competition for dominance in the metaverse is heating up. The next few months will likely reveal more details about their respective NFT drops, virtual events, and cross-platform integrations.