On April 7, Crypto.com announced that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters will now receive Fight Night bonuses in Bitcoin (BTC), with winners chosen by global fan voting. The move deepens the partnership between the cryptocurrency exchange and the MMA powerhouse, adding a digital asset twist to athlete rewards and fan interaction.
Bitcoin Bonus Details: Up to $30,000 in BTC
For each UFC pay-per-view (PPV) event, fans can vote for the top three fighters based on performance. The first-place winner will receive $30,000 worth of Bitcoin, second place $20,000, and third place $10,000. Bonuses are settled at the USD-to-BTC exchange rate at the time of voting, and Crypto.com will directly transfer Bitcoin to the fighters. UFC President Dana White praised the initiative: "Crypto.com has been an official UFC partner for less than a year, and they are already one of the best partners we've ever had. This Fan Bonus of the Night is an awesome way to get fans more engaged while rewarding fighters for bad-ass performances."
Fan Voting Mechanism: Global Participation
Voting is open to all users worldwide via crypto.com/fanbonus. Each fan receives three votes per PPV event and can select up to two fighters per bout. The voting window opens at the start of the PPV preliminaries and closes one hour after the main card ends. Steven Kalifowitz, Crypto.com's Chief Marketing Officer, said: "Central to our partnership with UFC is creating the most unique and compelling ways for fans to connect with the sport and their favorite athletes. We are thrilled for this next step and excited to build even more innovative experiences."
First Event: UFC 273 in Florida
The inaugural Bitcoin bonus Fight Night takes place on April 9 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, featuring a featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung ("The Korean Zombie"). Fans at UFC 273 will be the first to vote using the new system, with winners receiving cryptocurrency rewards immediately after the event.
Crypto and Sports: A Growing Trend
This partnership highlights the accelerating convergence of sports and digital assets. Since becoming an official UFC partner in July 2021, Crypto.com has rolled out branding, fan events, and now Bitcoin bonuses. By paying fighters directly in BTC, the program showcases the advantages of cryptocurrency—instant settlement, no intermediaries, and global accessibility. Industry observers note that with UFC's massive global fanbase, such initiatives could drive mainstream Bitcoin adoption and inspire other sports leagues to follow suit. Dana White emphasized that Crypto.com constantly brings new ideas to the table: "This fan interaction method is unprecedented, and we believe it will be a huge hit." For fighters, holding Bitcoin offers potential appreciation beyond the nominal dollar value, adding a long-term incentive to the sport's traditional prize structure.