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Cryptocurrency’s rise in esports continues with Riot Games joining the trend through a partnership with Coinbase for LoL and VALORANT events.
Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain company, is teaming up with Riot Games to develop custom segments and in-game cosmetic rewards aimed at enhancing fans' viewing experiences during global esports events for League of Legends (LoL) and VALORANT. This partnership officially begins at the VALORANT Masters Toronto event in June.
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Coinbase x Riot Games
Both companies posted a press release going through all the details of this partnership. “Coinbase will contribute a number of fan-facing enhancements, including custom segments, event activations, hospitality promotions, and giveaways for VALORANT and LoL Esports fans, all to be integrated in future events,“Riot Games wrote. Coinbase went further on the news by announcing a “first-of-its-kind ‘Econ Report’ in VALORANT Esports and ‘Gold Grind’ in LoL Esports, which will provide viewers with live analysis of each game’s in-match currency movement and its impact on team strategies.”
Coinbase appears to be focusing particularly onengaging with fan communities. They announced plans to host exclusive “drops” for viewers during events, along with opportunities to win an all-expenses-paid trip for two to either the VALORANT Champions Tour or LoL Worlds competitions. The cryptocurrency company stated that “esports and crypto have long gone hand-in-hand as digital-first communities,” and this partnership aims to bring about “future innovation in the sports partnership space.”
“Over the course of the season, we will explore opportunities to share insights and enhance the fan experience through Web3 technology.”
The company has a big portfolio of partnerships with sports leagues such as the WNBA and NBA, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, and Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. In the esports field, they have an open collaboration with Team Liquid.
Riot Games and Team Liquid drama
According to Riot Games, Team Liquid was informed that the version of the team’s jersey used in the VCT EMEA could not be used at global events.
“On July 15, 2025, several players from Team Liquid wore the unapproved version of their jersey team jersey during the match against EDG at Masters Bangkok, implicating Team Liquid in a potential breach of Art. 8.2 of the Global Policies,” Riot stated to address the situation.
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Fans are skeptical about this partnership
Currently, the agreement does not include any direct cryptocurrency transactions or features based on blockchain technology in Riot’s games or esports viewing platforms. However, some fans are concerned about the potential impact of cryptocurrency on the esports industry. They remember that Riot Games has had a complicated history with these types of partnerships, particularly due to the $96 million deal with FTX for the North American League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). Riot Games sought to terminate this deal following the arrest of FTX’s founder,Sam Bankman-Fried. The partnership resulted in TSM briefly rebranding as TSM FTX before the cryptocurrency exchange collapsed in 2022 amid fraud investigations.
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Others remember that Riot Games' esports isnot going through an easy phaseafter it revealed that the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK)lost over 40 million dollars in three years. The LCK is the biggest LoL league in the world. They believe this partnership with Coinbase will bring more money to prop up the esports side. Otherfans are very skepticalabout this move, especially because there is no indication of possible monetary help for the teams, which could compromise theesports clubs' finances.
Crypto and esports
The cryptocurrency has been growing in the esports industry. A major advancement in the intersection of crypto and esports has been the simplification andincreased security of betting. In many regions, traditional betting faces legal or logistical barriers, and users are often discouraged by identity verification requirements. Cryptocurrency addresses these issues by allowing anonymous participation and seamless cross-border transactions, making esports betting more accessible and private for users.
Crypto esports is where the use of NFTs is most prominent, as these games often require players to buy unique digital assets to participate. These NFTs not only serve as in-game items, but also grant access to gameplay to mix ownership and play in a way traditional games do not.
Valve Bans Games featuring NFTs and Cryptocurrency Trading
Games that allowed you to farm and trade NFTs or Cryptocurrencies will no longer be listed on Steam, according to Valve.
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