Binance to release Cristiano Ronaldo NFT collection ahead of World Cup

How much would you pay for an animated NFT statue of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo based on an iconic moment in his life? Thousands of dollars for the rarest, Binance is hoping.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange is back in the headlines again: This time not for toying with buying disgraced exchange FTX, but for embracing celebrity connections.

Following the signing of a deal between Binance and Ronaldo's CR7 this summer, the company is planning the first in a series of Ronaldo-themed NFT drops for Nov. 18, just days before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar.

Different NFTs will entitle holders to different perks, among them mystery boxes, entry into giveaways, and a personal message from Ronaldo. It’s not quite the one-on-one zoom call that Anthony Hopkins offered in his recent NFT drop, but details of perks for future Ronaldo-themed NFT collections coming out in 2023 have not been revealed.

Binance was previously critical of partnerships between crypto companies and celebrities, albeit in a rather tongue-in-cheek manner. Ahead of the Super Bowl in February, it ran an ad warning against celebrities advertising crypto featuring celebrity and NBA star Jimmy Butler.

The exchange said it chose celebrities for its own campaign that were known for their honesty and independence.

The collapse of FTX has revived focus on the sports celebrity partnerships accrued by the exchange in recent times.

Among the FTX brand ambassadors were NFL quarterback Tom Brady, NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, tennis star Naomi Osaka, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani and Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat.

The terms of each deal with FTX are not known, though it's been reported that at least Brady, Curry, Ohtani and Osaka received equity stakes in the company.