In a world first, Lionel Messi will receive $PSG Fan Tokens as part of his payment from Paris Saint-Germain. 

Earlier this month, Lionel Messi signed a two year deal with PSG, where he received a $40 million bonus, on top of his $111 million contract. 

Although they didn’t specify how much of Messi’s deal was compromised by the cryptocurrency, PSG stated on their website that the athlete also received “$PSG Fan Tokens” as part of a “welcome package”. 

Chief partnerships officer of Paris Saint-Germain, Marc Armstrong, said: “Fully embracing Socios.com and $PSG Fan Tokens has proved a massive success for the Club.”

“We have been able to engage with a new global audience, creating a significant digital revenue stream,” he said. 

In 2018, Paris Saint-Germain stepped into the world of blockchain, becoming the first sports franchise to partner with Socios.com.

English Premier League champions Manchester City and Italian giants AC Milan have also launched similar tokens this year.

Through $PSG Fan Tokens, fans worldwide get the ability to choose a motivational message on the wall of the dressing room before a key game, the Goal of the Season, or the winners of the club’s end of season awards. 

Fans also get to experience unique, personal video calls from first team stars via the platform. 

Similar to other digital currencies, fan tokens can be traded but may also be vulnerable to price fluctuation. 

CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, Alexandre Dreyfus, added: “Paris Saint-Germain are reaping the rewards of their bold approach and I believe this could be the start of a new trend as Fan Tokens and Socios.com play an increasingly prominent role across sport at the very highest level.”

In the days preceding Messi’s deal, $PSG Fan Tokens saw trading volumes exceed $1.2 billion.

According to PSG president Nassar Al-Khelaifi, the world will be “shocked” by the financial revenues generated through the club’s signing of Messi.