Nexo has signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Tennis Australia, becoming the Official Crypto Partner of both the Australian Open and the wider Summer of Tennis. The partnership marks one of the most prominent returns of a major crypto brand to top-tier sports after a period of industry retrenchment.
Under the terms of the deal, Nexo’s presence will extend far beyond the main tournament in Melbourne. The agreement also spans the entire Summer of Tennis series, including the United Cup, Adelaide International, Brisbane International, and Hobart International. This gives the company season-long exposure across multiple Australian cities and key lead-up events that feed into the year’s first Grand Slam.
Brand visibility will be anchored around the newly introduced “Nexo Coaches Pod.” The company’s name and branding will feature across designated on-court coaching areas at the major tournament venues. As in-match coaching becomes a more formalized and visible part of professional tennis, these pods are expected to be a recurring focal point on international broadcasts and highlight reels throughout the summer swing.
The 2026 edition of the Australian Open, the first fully covered by this sponsorship, is set to kick off on January 12 in Melbourne. The event traditionally attracts a global television and streaming audience in the hundreds of millions, alongside massive on-site attendance at Melbourne Park over two weeks. For Nexo, that means sustained exposure during one of the most-watched periods in the international tennis calendar.
Tennis has long been considered a premium space for brand partnerships, and the numbers explain why. The sport claims an estimated two billion fans worldwide and is particularly attractive to companies seeking affluent, globally dispersed audiences. Studies consistently show tennis fans are significantly more likely—roughly 29% more—than the general population to belong to higher-income brackets. For a financial services and crypto platform like Nexo, this overlap with a financially literate, investment-minded demographic is especially valuable.
The deal also reflects a broader thaw in the relationship between crypto companies and the sports industry. After the collapse of several high-profile platforms and the unwinding of some splashy sponsorships in prior years, many teams and event organizers became more cautious. Nexo’s agreement with Tennis Australia suggests that both sides now see a more mature, regulated environment emerging—one that can support long-term partnerships instead of short-lived marketing blitzes.
From Nexo’s perspective, the Australian Open deal functions as more than simple logo placement. It positions the company within a global entertainment product that blends sport, lifestyle, and culture. The Australian Open has increasingly marketed itself as a summer festival, with live music, food, and brand activations alongside the tennis. That gives sponsors multiple touchpoints with fans, from on-court branding to experiential zones, VIP hospitality, and digital campaigns around the tournament.
For Tennis Australia, bringing on a crypto partner can be seen as a strategic move to stay aligned with financial innovation and appeal to younger, tech-savvy audiences without compromising the event’s premium positioning. Crypto and digital assets remain controversial in some markets, but they are also deeply embedded in online culture and emerging investment behavior—particularly among the next generation of sports fans. A multi-year deal with a single platform simplifies risk management compared to short-term, fragmented partnerships with several smaller players.
The inclusion of the United Cup, Adelaide International, Brisbane International, and Hobart International in the sponsorship package is significant in its own right. These tournaments serve as crucial preparation events for many of the world’s top players, often featuring stacked draws and extensive TV coverage. For Nexo, that means brand exposure starts weeks before the main draw in Melbourne, following star players as they tune up for the Grand Slam and giving the company a narrative arc across the entire Summer of Tennis.
The specific focus on the Nexo Coaches Pod also tells a story about where tennis is headed. On-court coaching—once largely forbidden—has gradually been formalized and brought into the spotlight. Cameras increasingly capture coach-player interactions, and broadcasters lean into tactical analysis. By associating its brand with this evolving aspect of the sport, Nexo connects itself to strategy, intelligence, and performance optimization—attributes that align neatly with a platform pitching itself as a smart, efficient way to manage and grow digital assets.
Another benefit of the partnership is geographical diversification. While many crypto companies have traditionally centered their marketing around the United States and Europe, the Australian Open is a genuinely global property with strong viewership in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America as well. Melbourne’s time zone often positions the tournament in prime slots for Asian markets, where both tennis and crypto adoption are growing. That international reach fits the borderless nature of crypto services, which are typically designed to be used across jurisdictions, subject to local regulation.
The timing also matters. By anchoring a sponsorship cycle that begins in early January, Nexo effectively plants its flag at the start of both the tennis season and the global sporting calendar each year. The visibility boost around the Australian Open can then feed into broader year-round campaigns, as the company aligns its brand story with the narrative of the pro tour: from Melbourne’s hard courts to clay in Europe and grass in the UK, even if its name is most prominent during the Australian summer.
For the wider sports marketing ecosystem, the deal is a case study in how crypto brands are repositioning themselves. Instead of aggressive, high-risk spending across dozens of properties, the trend now leans toward a smaller number of carefully chosen, high-prestige partnerships. Multi-year terms suggest both parties are betting that crypto is past its most volatile, reputationally damaging phase and is settling into a more predictable role within the broader financial landscape.
Looking ahead, the partnership could evolve beyond traditional signage. As regulations clarify and consumer understanding of digital assets grows, there is potential for more integrated activations: educational campaigns about digital finance, tokenized experiences for fans, or digital collectibles tied to memorable tournament moments. While such initiatives depend heavily on compliance and market conditions, the multi-year framework at least opens the door to experimenting with more interactive, tech-driven fan experiences.
Ultimately, by tying its name to one of tennis’s four Grand Slams and a suite of key lead-in events, Nexo is making a clear statement: it wants to be seen not only as a crypto platform, but as a mainstream financial brand comfortable operating on the biggest global stages. For Tennis Australia, the partnership underscores a willingness to embrace innovation while capitalizing on tennis’s unique position at the intersection of elite sport, global media, and high-value audiences.