Blockchain
FC Barcelona & Chiliz Join Forces In A New Global Blockchain Alliance
The Partnership Will Increase Engagement Between the Club & Its Global Fanbase Through Barça Fan Tokens ($BAR) on Chiliz Fan Voting & Rewards Mobile App Socios.com
FC Barcelona has signed a new global partnership agreement with world leading blockchain-based fan engagement platform for sports & entertainment Chiliz. The agreement, which is part of Barça’s new digital and commercial strategy, will help the Club stay closer to its global fanbase through Barça Fan Tokens ($BAR), digital assets that allow supporters to take part in polls and surveys on Chiliz fan voting & rewards mobile app Socios.com.
Barça fans all over the world will be rewarded for every action taken on Socios.com, climbing up leaderboards and receiving reward points which can be exchanged for exclusive merchandise and unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences. $BAR Fan Token holders can also look forward to other features on Socios.com, including Chat, Fan Token trading, games and community challenges.
The agreement is the first blockchain partnership to be signed by the club, and is part of FC Barcelona’s global expansion strategy. The new partnership boosts the Club’s commitment to looking to new digital channels and formats for connecting and generating engagement with their global audience.
Statement by Josep Pont, FC Barcelona Board Member and Head of Commercial Area
“We are proud to welcome Chiliz to the Barça family as a new global partner. This agreement will give us the chance to set up innovative marketing and partnership activations with a clear focus on the digital realm to take the Club closer to our fans around the world. This agreement also forms part of FC Barcelona’s goal to become associated with leading brands that can help us consolidate our new commercial and digital strategy, with the development of new streams for the generation of resources helping to make us a benchmark both on and off the field.”
Statement by Alexandre Drefyus, CEO & Founder of Socios.com & Chiliz
“We are very excited to welcome FC Barcelona to Socios.com, and even more excited to start engaging with their massive fan base around the world. With over 300 million fans worldwide, Barça’s fandom spans countries as well as cultures. The Club is without a doubt the most renowned and the most supported football club in the world and we can’t wait to see their fans start to influence Club decisions. Adding FC Barcelona fans to the Socios.com global community takes us one step closer to our goal of mainstream adoption of blockchain. Every time a fan downloads the app, we are furthering education, and every time a fan buys a Fan Tokens, we are strengthening the use cases of this innovative technology.”
Barça Fan Tokens will be available in Q2 2020. 40 million will be made available, with each $BAR costing €2 at the initial point of sale.
Fans will be able to purchase Barça Fan Tokens when the FC Barcelona Fan Token Offering (FTO™) opens. In order to buy Barça Fan Tokens, fans must use Chiliz ($CHZ), the digital currency of Socios.com. Fans can buy $CHZ on the Socios.com app, or they can transfer from a digital wallet. Fan Tokens can also be purchased on Chiliz.net – the world’s first crypto exchange for sports & entertainment. $CHZ is listed on many of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Fans will also be able to accumulate free $CHZ and $BAR Fan Tokens periodically through Token Hunt, Socios.com’s in-app Augmented Reality (AR) feature.
Blockchain
RPM APPOINTS WEB3 EXPERT STEVE WHYMAN TO LEAD ON BLOCKCHAIN STRATEGY
RPM, the specialist in retail and online betting and gaming, has announced that it has bolstered its digital markets capabilities with the appointment of Steve Whyman as Director of Web3 & Crypto.
Whyman joins RPM with a mandate to shape the credible adoption of blockchain technology within the global gaming industry, and will assist partners with a unique, high-level consultancy service that helps deliver faster routes to market using decentralised offerings and tokens.
This appointment internalises Steve Whyman’s institutional pedigree, having spent 25 years in senior trading and leadership roles with industry giants including Amundi, Aviva, and BlackRock, while he most recently served as Head of Debt Capital Markets at Fidelity International where he oversaw the $90bn fixed income primary markets portfolio and led the tokenisation of the firm’s money market fund.
With the added, potent combination of Web3 experience as founder and CEO at Fulminata Solutions, a digital capital markets boutique working with Layer-1 blockchains and prominent stablecoins, Whyman is well-positioned to translate digital finance innovations into practical gaming applications for RPM partners.
During his time at Fulminata Solutions, Whyman has established himself as a thought leader in the Web3 space with specific expertise in the Solana ecosystem. He currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to KEEL.FI, the largest allocator on Solana, and his new role will see this knowhow utilised to provide the gaming sector with a more seamless path to new business models, improved transparency, and new sustainable growth opportunities.
Richard Thorp, Founder at RPM, said: “Appointing Steve is a landmark moment for us as we take a major step forward in delivering on Web3’s promise. His background is exceptional. Blending the rigour of institutional finance and a first-rate, hands-on understanding of decentralised markets, we’re hugely confident that our partners will be able to reap the benefits of his expertise in bridging to new product and market opportunities in the space.”
Steve Whyman, RPM’s new Director of Web3 and Crypto, added: “I’m thrilled to join RPM at a pivotal time as the gaming industry moves beyond speculative Web3 trends towards implementing genuine utility. My focus will be on delivering major new value opportunities to clients in digital finance through consulting on various product improvements, such as instant settlement opportunities, smoother payment rails or executing on innovative, tokenised growth models.
“By fostering partnerships between RPM, our clients, and the leading, high-performance Layer-1 blockchains, we have a massive opportunity to build igaming-led systems that improve transparency, operational efficiency, and, critically, improve the bottom line, and working alongside Rich and the team, we’re in a strong position to genuinely lead Web3 gaming innovation from the front.”
The post RPM APPOINTS WEB3 EXPERT STEVE WHYMAN TO LEAD ON BLOCKCHAIN STRATEGY appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Blockchain
GR8 Tech Launches Crypto Turnkey: High-Value iGaming Platform for Global Expansion
GR8 Tech has officially unveiled its Crypto Turnkey solution, a comprehensive platform designed to give iGaming operators a modern, multi-wallet infrastructure for global expansion. By integrating native multi-currency support from day one, the solution eliminates the need for third-party crypto vendors and complex technical integrations.
According to Denys Parkhomenko, CPO at GR8 Tech, the shift toward crypto is no longer optional for operators looking to dominate.
“Industry data shows crypto players deposit 35-50% more and bet with 40-60% higher frequency than traditional players,” says Parkhomenko. “The operators winning their markets are the ones acting on that data now, not waiting. We built Crypto Turnkey to make that move simple.”
Eliminating Payment Provider Bottlenecks
One of the most significant hurdles for modern iGaming businesses is the dependency on traditional payment providers. Regulatory hurdles or provider outages can delay launches or halt active businesses.
Crypto Turnkey removes these bottlenecks, allowing for:
-
Faster Market Entry: Go live quickly without waiting for lengthy traditional payment approvals.
-
Operational Stability: Payment uptime is controlled by the operator, ensuring a 24/7 uninterrupted revenue flow.
-
Full Compliance: The platform supports over 15 popular cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT) while maintaining strict KYC and responsible gambling standards through existing GR8 Tech modules.
Designed for the VIP Experience
High-stakes players are the lifeblood of the industry. In 2025, VIP players accounted for 47% of total turnover across GR8 Tech’s verticals. These users increasingly demand the privacy, speed, and high transaction limits that only blockchain can provide.
The Crypto Turnkey multi-wallet system provides the flexibility these premium segments expect:
-
Single Account, Multiple Currencies: Players can hold and switch between currencies instantly.
-
No Conversion Friction: Deposit and withdraw in crypto without losing value to unnecessary exchange fees.
-
Real-time Calculations: For games requiring fiat denominations, the system automatically handles balance segregation and exchange rate calculations.
Lower Fees and Zero Chargeback Risks
The economic advantages of the Crypto Turnkey solution are clear. While traditional fiat transactions typically cost between 2.5% and 5%, GR8 Tech’s solution slashes these costs to approximately 0.5%.
Furthermore, because blockchain transactions are irreversible, operators can say goodbye to chargeback fraud and the administrative nightmare of dispute management. Settlement times are also reduced from the standard 3-5 business days to just 10-30 minutes.
The Platform for Champions
When combined with the broader GR8 Tech ecosystem—including AI-driven personalization, advanced CRM tools, and geo-specific “Champion setups”—the Crypto Turnkey solution becomes a powerful engine for maximizing player lifetime value.
The solution is now available globally. New operators can deploy it as a complete turnkey package, while existing GR8 Tech clients can activate crypto capabilities without any additional technical integration.
Meet GR8 Tech at ICE 2026
Are you ready to unlock the potential of the “Platform for Champions” in crypto mode?
Book a meeting with the GR8 Tech team at ICE 2026 to discuss how we can accelerate your success in person at Booth 1C50 in Barcelona.
The post GR8 Tech Launches Crypto Turnkey: High-Value iGaming Platform for Global Expansion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Blockchain
Tequity and MINT Partner to Launch Bespoke, Branded “Originals” for Crypto-First Gaming
Tequity, the premium technology partner for custom iGaming solutions, has announced a landmark partnership with MINT, the upcoming AI-driven, crypto-first operator platform. Under the agreement, Tequity will supply its suite of Originals—fast, provably fair house games—which will be fully customized to reflect the MINT brand identity.
The collaboration centers on the “Originals” category, which has evolved from a niche preference to a foundational product for modern crypto-first brands. These games are designed for high-frequency play, making them a significant driver of player engagement and volume.
A New Standard in Fully Brandable House Games
Tequity’s Originals allow operators to launch 16 diverse house games—including popular formats like Crash, Mines, and Plinko—built on a technical stack optimized for speed and stability.
Through this partnership, MINT will move beyond off-the-shelf content, utilizing Tequity’s modular RGS and partner-ready tooling to create a “native” feel. Key features of the rollout include:
-
Complete Brand Control: Full customization of the UX/UI to match MINT’s aesthetic.
-
Provably Fair Infrastructure: Transparent, blockchain-verified mechanics that align with MINT’s Web3 roadmap.
-
Streamer-Friendly Design: Fast-paced gameplay loops optimized for the burgeoning live-streaming community.
Strategic Vision: Launching the Next Generation of Web3 Gaming
The partnership comes as MINT prepares for its official February launch, positioning itself as a platform that prioritizes product quality over speculative hype. By integrating Tequity’s performance-driven infrastructure, MINT can deliver a premium, localized content suite from day one.
“MINT gets full branding control to make the games feel truly their own, while we provide the underlying performance and reliability,” said Dominic Sawyer, VP Growth at Tequity. “They are building a new kind of operator platform that combines a strong iGaming core with a Web3 roadmap, and we’re excited to be their technical foundation.”
Zak Manhire, CEO of MINT, added: “For us, Originals aren’t just another game category, they’re a foundation. Tequity gives us a very strong technical base, and we’ll push it hard—iterating quickly and building new games together as one. We treat our partners as collaborators, not service providers.”
The post Tequity and MINT Partner to Launch Bespoke, Branded “Originals” for Crypto-First Gaming appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
AI5 days agoPrimero Games Uses XGENIA for Their First AI-Generated Slot Game
-
Balkans5 days agoKiril Kirilov takes on new leadership role at CT Interactive
-
Baltic Tech Week5 days agoHIPTHER Baltics Announces Riga Event and Strategic Partnership with LexLegas
-
ALGS 2026 Championship5 days agoS8UL Esports secures historic top five finish at ALGS 2026 Championship; bags INR 1 crore in prize money
-
Compliance Updates5 days agoSEON Launches Identity Verification Built on Real-Time Fraud Intelligence
-
College Sport Prediction Markets5 days agoNCAA Urges CFTC to Suspend College Sport Prediction Markets
-
EMEA ESPORTS4 days agoMOVEMBER TEAMS UP WITH RIOT GAMES EMEA ESPORTS
-
Latest News5 days agoCertified Platforms: Why Operators Choose Them Early



