Sports Sponsorship For Online Trading Brands
Over several years, online trading brands, especially those in the Forex (FX) market, have started showing up in sports more than ever before. Whether it’s football clubs, Formula 1 teams, tennis, cricket, or other major sporting events, these brands are investing heavily to make their presence felt.
But why would an online trading brand want to sponsor a football club, a racing team, or a Tennis Grand Slam? What do they get out of it, and does it actually work?
Let’s break it down.
Why Are Online Trading Brands Getting Into Sports?
For online trading platforms, two of the biggest challenges are building trust and transparency.
Unlike traditional banks, they operate digitally, which means convincing people that they are reliable isn’t always easy.
Sports sponsorships for online trading brands give them the perfect opportunity to build credibility.
When an online trading brand associates with a well-known sports team, it immediately looks legitimate and trustworthy.
Moreover, with many online trading brands in the market, it is imperative for them to stand out from the crowd and offer experiences to their long-term clients and new traders that would elevate their brand image.
But there’s more to it than building trust and being unique:
1. Mass Audience Reach Through 360 Degree Integrated Marketing
Sports have passionate fans all over the world.
A brand’s partnership with a football club or a Formula 1 team means billions of fans are seeing your brand, providing crucial exposure through TV, OTT, and digital platforms on a week-in, week-out basis.
The sponsorship provides a 360-degree integrated marketing opportunity, enabling brands to leverage the partnership through:
Cross-Promotional Campaigns
Broadcasting
Digital & Social Media
PR Promotions
Direct Marketing
Content Creation
Event Hosting
Merchandising
CSR Initiatives
2. It Builds Trust & Credibility
Let’s be real—most people don’t fully understand trading and investing at first, and they’re skeptical about investing with brands they don’t know about.
But when an online trading brand is linked with a big team like Real Madrid FC or McLaren F1, it automatically seems more legitimate.
If a world-famous club trusts them by doing their due diligence, why wouldn’t their fans?
3. The Target Audience is Already Watching
The graph below shows that football has the highest number of fans, comprising:
- 87% of cryptocurrency investors
- 81% of stock investors
Other sports that have high fan followings are:
Long-Distance Running
Basketball
Cycling
Tennis
Due to the large crossover of traders/investors watching sports regularly, online trading brands need to attract new customers for their business to grow and expand into new markets. Sports such as football provides them such opportunities where the marketing rights extends globally. From the graph below, we can see the percentage of fans of the top 4 leagues in Europe who are investors/traders. Bundesliga leads the race in stock markets with 27.5% fans invested in the stock markets whereas, 9% of Premier League fans have a larger propensity towards cryptocurrency investing.
The modern sports fan is young, digitally native, and increasingly interested in financial growth opportunities. These individuals are proactive, ambitious, and eager to explore avenues like trading to build their wealth. By sponsoring sports teams, athletes, or leagues, online trading brands can seamlessly integrate themselves into the lives of these potential customers.
While attracting new customers is critical, retaining high-net-worth (HNI) client’s and experienced traders is equally important. For this audience, the value proposition extends beyond the trading platform itself—it’s about exclusivity, prestige, and unforgettable experiences.
Imagine your brand offering top-tier clients VIP hospitality at a Premier League match, complete with access to a private box, gourmet dining, and the chance to meet legends and network with other influential partners. Or, in the world of motorsports, providing an adrenaline-fueled hot lap with a professional driver in a high-performance race car. Such initiatives do more than just reward loyalty—they deepen emotional connections with your brand. When HNI clients associate your services with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, they are far more likely to remain committed to your brand and advocate for your services.
Examples of Online Trading Partnerships in Sports:-
1. Axi and Manchester City
Axi partnered with Manchester City in 2021. One of the standout campaigns they executed was titled “City Slickers or City Kickers”.
The objective was to drive brand engagement, attract a massive audience, and educate viewers about trading.
The activation featured Bernardo Silva, İlkay Gündoğan, and John Stones stepping out of their footballing comfort zones and into the high-stakes world of trading, where their knowledge and decision-making skills were put to the test.
This unique concept not only captured the attention of football fans but also resonated with aspiring traders.
The results were exceptional:
- Over 7.5 million video views
- 900,000 engagements
- 16,000 landing page visits
This campaign showcased the power of combining football with financial education to create a winning strategy.
Source: SportsBusiness
2. IG Group & England Cricket
Since partnering with the ECB in 2021, IG has leveraged cricket to connect with traders, investors, and fans.
The 2023 Ashes series elevated this partnership through Net Gains, a campaign to fund public cricket nets nationwide.
Fans at every Ashes Test engaged via the IG Net Gains Arena, an AR-powered cricket simulator, contributing to a £300,000 fund for new facilities in 2024.
Highlights:
- Over 4,800 participants
- 24 days of activations
- 262 media pieces
- Over 7.6M+ views
- 32,700+ social engagements
By blending fan engagement with community impact, IG strengthened its brand presence while delivering lasting value—a winning strategy for sports sponsorship.
Source: Wasserman
3. FXPro & McLaren F1 Team
FxPro was the first-ever online trading sponsor back in 2010.
They continue to invest into sponsorships and claim to have invested over $200 million+ in sports over 15+ years, across Formula 1, Football, Sailing, and Rally Championships.
Currently, FxPro is in its 7th year of partnership with the McLaren F1 Team—a long-term partnership that was recently renewed after McLaren’s win of the Constructor’s Championship in 2024.
Final Thoughts
Sports sponsorships are one of the best ways to build trust, reach new customers, and gain global recognition.
Moreover, the online trading sponsors who are truly successful have attested to the fact that developing a well-thought-out activation plan on a long-term sponsorship commitment is crucial to maximizing their return on investment.
Hence, the need to include the sponsorship as part of the overall marketing strategy for the brand.
As competition in the online trading market keeps growing, we’re only going to see more such partnerships happening.
Whether it’s Football, Formula 1, Cricket, or Tennis, one thing is clear—sports and online trading are becoming more connected than ever.
Interested in finding out more about how sports sponsorships can help elevate your brand?
Get in touch with ARKA team to find out more!
