Naomi Osaka inks FTX deal with aim to ‘democratise’ crypto
Naomi Osaka has inked a deal with crypto exchange FTX which will see the tennis star take an equity stake in the company.
The four-time Grand Slam winner has inked an agreement with FTX which will involve Osaka bringing more women onto the crypto platform and will play a role in producing content for the exchange, Reuters first reported.
“We have seen the statistics about how few women are part of crypto by comparison, which kind of mirrors the inequality we see in other financial markets,” Osaka told The Block in a statement.
“Cryptocurrencies started with the goal of being accessible to everyone and breaking down barriers to entry. I’m excited to partner with FTX to get back to that mission and to innovate on new ways to reach more people and further democratize the space,” she added.
FTX is experiencing a period of rapid expansion – the exchange giant achieved a $32bn valuation in January 2022 after a $400m funding round.
The crypto exchange, founded by its 29-year-old chief executive Sam Bankman-Fried, is expanding its global presence launching a European division earlier this month. FTX has also announced plans to integrate crypto with gaming and has hinted at plans to branch into the sporting industry.
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