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Crypto’s relationship with the UFC reached a new milestone this weekend.
At UFC Freedom 250, held on the South Lawn of the White House, some fighters received performance bonuses paid in USD1, a dollar-backed stablecoin issued by World Liberty Financial, the crypto venture backed by the Trump family.
The event itself was historic.
More than 80,000 spectators gathered around the White House grounds for the first professional sporting event ever hosted at the presidential residence. The card was headlined by Justin Gaethje’s upset victory over previously undefeated Ilia Topuria, while Ciryl Gane captured the interim heavyweight title with a knockout win over Alex Pereira.
But beyond the fights, the event also highlighted how deeply crypto has become embedded in modern sports.
World Liberty Financial contributed a $250,000 bonus pool paid in USD1 stablecoins, while Crypto.com separately funded a $1 million fighter bonus programme paid in CRO tokens.
According to reports, fighters including Justin Gaethje, Ciryl Gane, Sean O’Malley, Diego Lopes, Bo Nickal, Mauricio Ruffy and Josh Hokit were among those eligible for performance-related payouts connected to the event.
The development marks another step in crypto’s evolution within professional sports.
Over the past decade, the industry has moved from sponsorship deals and stadium naming rights to fan tokens, NFT collectibles, athlete endorsements and exchange partnerships. Paying athletes directly in digital assets takes that relationship a step further.
Stablecoins are increasingly being used as payment infrastructure rather than just another crypto asset.