The Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) and Bitvavo, a leading Dutch crypto exchange, have extended the partnership until July 2026. It will be a collaboration that will further transform not only the way we watch football, but also the way we interact with it.
KNVB and Bitvavo bring innovation to the world of football
The Football Association recognizes the growing world of cryptocurrencies and welcomes the addition of blockchain technology. In a press release, the parties stated the following:
“At a time when the crypto market is growing and maturing, KNVB and Bitvavo want to further familiarize the football world and the Netherlands with the secure purchase, sale and storage of digital currencies,” the press release says.
The KNVB has always played a pioneering role in Dutch football and is now joining forces with Bitvavo to continue this tradition. This will be achieved by leveraging the power of blockchain and cryptocurrency even more. This partnership is more than just a collaboration; It represents a vision of the future of Dutch football, driven by technological progress and innovation.
One of the most important aspects of this collaboration is the integration of blockchain technology into various aspects of football. This includes ticket sales, merchandise sales and fan engagement. By using blockchain, KNVB and Bitvavo can provide transparency, security and efficiency to fans around the world.
Both parties have already taken big steps during the 2022 World Cup. Bitvavo then developed an advanced robotic arm that could add signatures of Dutch national team players to new orange jerseys. Last year it went one step further. Then Bitvavo introduced hologram technology to cheer on the Dutch national team during the Nations League finals alongside former Orange players Marco van Basten and Anouk Hoogendijk.
The expanded partnership will also provide new opportunities for fan engagement. If the football association wants to use crypto to get fans more involved with the Dutch national team, it is not the first organization to make a similar decision. For example, several European football clubs have launched their own tokens. The main purpose of these is to allow fans to collect unique experiences and rewards.
Bitvavo gives color to the future of Oranje
Dave Dekker, commercial manager of the KNVB, is very satisfied with the commitment:
“Extending our partnership with Bitvavo allows us to offer our fans an even more innovative Oranje experience. Bitvavo’s creative approach has proven to be a valuable addition to our partnership.”
Dekker refers to the robotic arm and hologram technology. The director also reveals that he has something new in mind for the upcoming finals. “Of course we will also do something innovative at the upcoming EURO2024,” he says.
Bitvavo CMO Marijn van de Ven explains in the press release that she is committed to long-term goals.
“We view the partnership with the KNVB as a long-term collaboration. We recognize ourselves in the goals that the Dutch national team has set for itself. In our market, we strive for European market leadership and compete with large international players. The way the Netherlands have become great at football and managed to maintain their top position among much larger countries for decades is an example in this sense.”