One of the world's most iconic sports and entertainment venues, the Staples Center in Los Angeles, is set to undergo a historic rebranding. On Tuesday, venue operator AEG and cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com jointly announced a landmark 20-year naming rights agreement, under which the arena will be officially renamed Crypto.com Arena effective December 25, 2025. Reports indicate that Crypto.com paid more than $700 million for the naming rights.
From Basketball Cathedral to Crypto Cathedral
Located in downtown Los Angeles, the 20,000-seat arena serves as the home of NBA teams the Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers, NHL's LA Kings, and WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. Each year, the venue hosts over 240 major events and welcomes more than 4 million guests, including the Grammy Awards, NBA All-Star Games, and NHL All-Star Games. Beyond the arena renaming, the agreement designates Crypto.com as the official cryptocurrency platform partner of the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Kings, with branding rights extending to L.A. LIVE, Microsoft Theater, The Novo, and other affiliated venues.
Crypto's Mainstream Blitz Accelerates
“This partnership represents the fastest-growing cryptocurrency platform and the biggest sports and live entertainment company in the world converging to drive the future of sports and live entertainment,” said Todd Goldstein, AEG's chief revenue officer. Crypto.com has been aggressively building its brand presence: in October, it launched its first global campaign “Fortune Favours the Brave” starring Hollywood icon Matt Damon, and earlier this year it partnered with a Formula 1 team. The rebranding of the Staples Center—a globally recognized landmark synonymous with basketball greatness—marks perhaps the most symbolic endorsement of cryptocurrencies by traditional sports institutions.
The deal sets a new record for sports venue naming rights. Industry observers believe the move not only delivers massive brand exposure for Crypto.com but also signals to mainstream investors and the general public that the cryptocurrency industry is rapidly entering the mainstream. For the next two decades, basketball and hockey fans in Los Angeles will walk into an arena named after a crypto platform, a daily reminder that digital assets have cemented their place in the cultural and commercial landscape.