Bithumb Signs Sponsorship with FC Seoul as South Korean Firm Turns to Ripple Custody

Bithumb has signed a sponsorship deal with FC Seoul for the 2025 season, the cryptocurrency exchange announced today (Friday). The partnership is part of Bithumb’s outreach efforts to offer customers unique experiences.

The sponsorship follows a separate development where South Korea's institutional crypto storage firm BDACS will use Ripple Custody to secure XRP and RLUSD, a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Ripple.

Bithumb Sponsors FC Seoul's 2025 Season

FC Seoul is one of Korea’s top professional football clubs, managed by GS Sports. The club holds records such as being the first K League team to surpass 500,000 spectators in a single season. It has the highest average home game attendance among domestic professional sports teams.

Under the agreement, Bithumb will serve as an official sponsor, with its logo displayed at the center of FC Seoul's official jerseys. The sponsorship will include collaborative marketing activities, promotional events during home matches, and other fan engagement initiatives.

Enhancing FC Seoul Fan Engagement

The collaboration is part of Bithumb’s project, which started last year, to contribute to society through cultural fields, including sports and the arts.

Bithumb users and football fans will have access to exclusive experiences, such as player escort opportunities, stadium tours, and special match-day invitations. The partnership will debut during FC Seoul’s first home match of the season against Gimcheon Sangmu FC on Wednesday.

South Korea 🇰🇷 sees a surge in cryptocurrency adoption!🚀 Key Highlights:Over 15.59 million crypto investors—more than 30% of the population (Bank of Korea).Total cryptocurrency holdings soared to 102.6 trillion won (~$70.8 billion) in November, up from 58 trillion won… pic.twitter.com/ZXLdCfyKEI

South Korea's Crypto Investor Numbers Reach 15.59 Million

As of November 2024, South Korea's cryptocurrency investors totalled 15.59 million, an increase of 610,000 from the previous month, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK). This represents about 30% of the population, with the total market value of cryptocurrencies held by investors reaching 102.6 trillion won, as reported by Finance Magnates.

Since July, the number of investors has grown steadily, with a notable spike following Donald Trump's election win, which drove Bitcoin prices to record highs. The data, shared by Rep. Lim Kwang-hyun, is the first release of cryptocurrency investor statistics by BOK, covering accounts at the five major exchanges: Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone, Korbit, and GOPAX.

Cryptocurrency transaction volumes have also surged, averaging $10.2 billion daily in November, nearly matching the combined volumes of the KOSPI and Kosdaq.