Barcelona Football Club has been criticized for reaching a $22 million sponsorship deal with the cryptocurrency company ZKP

According to Decrypt, FC Barcelona previously signed a global sponsorship agreement worth $22 million with the crypto company Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) for a duration of three years, becoming the club's official crypto protocol partner. However, this move has sparked criticism from the public.

Former club board member Xavier Vilajoana stated that the agreement with this crypto startup is a sign of financial "desperation," pointing out "danger signals" in the company's background, and called the decision "extremely concerning." ZKP is a little-known blockchain company registered in Samoa, which has been listed by the EU as a tax haven. ZKP launched its social media accounts and white paper in early November this year, and at the time of the agreement, ZKP had only 33 followers on its account on the X platform. Its website does not provide detailed information about ownership and financing structure, and it is currently conducting an Initial Coin Offering (ICO).

FC Barcelona clarified in an official statement that the club "has no association with the company's tokens," and that the club never discussed the existence or issuance of the tokens during the sponsorship negotiations. The existence and issuance of the tokens are not part of the previously signed sponsorship agreement with the club.