AS Roma, one of Italy’s most renowned football clubs, has begun accepting DigitalBits (XDB), a leading blockchain-based platform for brands, as payment across five of its retail stores. Customers can now buy AS Roma-branded merchandise at Via del Corso, Piazza Colonna, Ottaviano, Porta di Roma, and Fan zone at Stadio Olimpico using DigitalBits.
For many businesses and brands, making cryptocurrency payments mainstream has been an ongoing challenge as they try to promote crypto adoption beyond speculation. High price volatility is one of the primary issues that economics experts, including central bankers, have criticized Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for.
AS Roma’s partnership with DigitalBits marks the first time a professional football organization has incorporated blockchain technology. The club believes that this next step will expand on the fan experience and bring blockchain technology into the mainstream.
Other sports teams have also onboarded cryptocurrency as a payment method. In November 2021, the Perth Heat baseball club in Australia onboarded a complete Bitcoin standard, accepting payments and converting much of its balance sheet into BTC.
As cryptocurrency continues to evolve and gain more mainstream acceptance, it is likely that more sports teams and other businesses will adopt blockchain technology as a means of payment.
