From Riyad Bank To Visa: Crypto Partnerships Defining January’s Final Week

Crypto partnerships closed January with a clear theme: infrastructure over hype. From regulated blockchain testing in Saudi Arabia to payment rails linking Web3 and Visa, and trust-driven athlete collaborations, the final week highlighted how crypto firms are aligning with institutions, regulation, and real-world utility.

Riyad Bank’s Jeel and Ripple Test Blockchain Payments in Saudi Sandbox

Jeel, the innovation and venture arm of Riyad Bank, has partnered with Ripple to explore blockchain-based payment and digital asset services within Saudi Arabia’s regulated financial environment. The collaboration centers on running controlled trials inside Jeel’s regulatory sandbox, allowing both sides to evaluate new infrastructure under supervisory oversight before any wider rollout.

The first testing stage of the project will examine international payment systems which currently demonstrate settlement issues and excessive middleman costs and insufficient payment process visibility. Jeel plans to test Ripple’s enterprise blockchain system to determine what advantages distributed ledger technology brings to operational efficiency and system dependability and payment process transparency while meeting regional compliance standards.

Saudi Arabia’s role as a major remittance corridor makes payment efficiency a strategic priority, particularly for expatriate flows and regional corporate activity. The sandbox environment enables performance testing across transaction throughput, system stability, data security, and compliance controls simultaneously.

Beyond payments, the partnership will also examine digital asset custody and tokenization frameworks. These evaluations are intended to explore secure storage models, authorization workflows, and institutional-grade controls for blockchain-based assets. Tokenization is being assessed for its potential to streamline settlement and asset management processes.

Ripple’s regional leadership has characterized Saudi Arabia as a key market for digital transformation, viewing sandbox participation as a way to demonstrate how blockchain operates under real regulatory constraints rather than isolated pilots. For Jeel, the collaboration reflects a broader push to balance innovation with regulatory discipline under Vision 2030.

AS Roma Players Navigate Crypto Deals as Serie A Rewrites Sponsorship Norms

Crypto sponsorships have become part of daily life inside Serie A, and AS Roma sits at the center of that shift. Discussions around NFTs, Bitcoin, and blockchain platforms now circulate among first-team players, academy prospects, and agents alike, reflecting how deeply digital asset partnerships have penetrated modern football.

Roma was an early mover, signing Serie A’s first major crypto shirt deal with DigitalBits in 2021. That partnership ultimately collapsed after missed payments, prompting legal action and a settlement. The incident reshaped how Roma—and much of the league—approaches crypto relationships, emphasizing stricter due diligence and financial safeguards.

Player-level contracts now exist in three main categories which include short-term personal sponsorships and deeper ambassador roles and high-risk equity or token-based contracts. Football’s global audience attracts crypto companies while players choose contract options that enable them to compete in various worldwide events. The Roma academy now tells its young athletes to reject minor crypto contract offers because they should focus on building their long-term professional image instead of making instant money. 

The club develops its esports operations which creates new opportunities for expansion. The infrastructure that supports crypto gaming and betting operations uses technology which matches the requirements for football-related activities that include payment processing and digital collectible transactions. Roma has chosen to limit its testing activities to specific projects because of its previous dealings with crypto during the 2021-2022 period which created excessive hype.

KuCoin Aligns With Tadej Pogačar Around “Trust First” Strategy

KuCoin has entered a partnership with four-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar, framing the collaboration around credibility and long-term trust rather than conventional athlete marketing. Announced in Vienna alongside KuCoin EU’s regulatory launch, the deal reflects the exchange’s effort to reposition itself as a compliant, mainstream financial platform.

The partnership is anchored in the theme “Trust First. Trade Next,” signaling a deliberate shift away from hype-driven crypto promotion. KuCoin’s leadership has emphasized that both elite cycling and financial infrastructure depend on consistency, preparation, and reliability under pressure. The exchange has spent years building security foundations, including SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications, alongside MiCAR approval in Austria.

Pogačar’s involvement reinforces that message. He has described trust at the highest level of sport as something built through discipline, safety, and repetition, noting that these principles align with KuCoin’s operational philosophy. Rather than launching immediate branded products, the partners plan to introduce offerings—such as KuCard—in a “measured and responsible manner” consistent with regulatory requirements.

KuCoin’s CEO has framed the collaboration as a reflection of shared values around professionalism and governance, arguing that credibility earned over time creates sustainable growth. The partnership signals a broader industry trend: crypto firms increasingly choosing regulated expansion and reputational alignment over short-term visibility.

Visa and Mercuryo Connect Web3 Wallets to Visa Direct for Instant Payouts

Visa has formed a partnership with Mercuryo, which operates as a crypto payments provider, to introduce Visa Direct into Web3 through their joint relationship. The system enables users to transfer funds from their cryptocurrency wallets to their Visa cards within a time frame of a few minutes while creating a seamless link between blockchain digital assets and regular payment methods.

The Visa Direct system operates as a real-time settlement network, and Mercuryo now enables Web3 wallet users to connect their wallets directly to this network. Users can convert supported cryptocurrencies and stablecoins into local fiat and receive their funds through Visa cards without using traditional exchanges or lengthy bank transfers.

The partnership solves three main challenges which have persisted since the beginning of cryptocurrency payments by providing faster transaction processing and lower transaction costs and simpler payment handling. The partnership enables users to convert digital assets into usable money through its direct connection from wallets to cards.

The integration provides Web3 platforms with an efficient cash-out solution which enables users from more than 200 countries to access their funds. Visa’s ongoing stablecoin settlement expansion and crypto-linked infrastructure development demonstrate its goal of becoming a universal payment system which operates between fiat currencies and blockchain networks.

The partnership shows how the financial industry is becoming more willing to adopt crypto by integrating it into established payment systems which make transactions easier while meeting regulatory standards and ensuring user accessibility.

Zerohash Pursues $250M Funding After Mastercard Acquisition Talks Stall

Zerohash is seeking up to $250 million in new funding following the collapse of reported acquisition talks with Mastercard, highlighting shifting dynamics between crypto-native infrastructure firms and traditional financial institutions. The sources who know the situation report that the company aims to achieve a valuation between $1.5 billion and $1.5 billion while it moves toward independent business operations.

The breakdown of acquisition discussions does not appear to signal a retreat from collaboration. Mastercard is currently assessing a potential strategic investment which demonstrates that financial institutions continue to show interest in regulated cryptocurrency infrastructure. Zerohash provides backend trading, settlement, and compliance technology that exchanges and fintech platforms use to create a vital connection between digital assets and conventional financial systems.

Industry observers regard the current situation as a reflection of contemporary financial practices because major banking institutions typically choose to establish partnerships or acquire partial ownership before they will accept full ownership. The outcome reached its final decision because of three main factors which included the intricate regulations and the anticipated company value and the organization’s main objectives.

Zerohash’s valuation target reflects investor demand for infrastructure rather than speculative crypto products. Comparable firms such as Fireblocks and Chainalysis achieved multi-billion-dollar valuations during earlier cycles, reinforcing confidence in middleware platforms that enable institutional participation.

The funding round will demonstrate ongoing progress in crypto infrastructure investment because successful funding will show that investors continue to support the industry during its current phase of more restricted capital access.

Kraken and Atlassian Williams F1 Team Renew Long-Term Fan-First Partnership

Kraken has renewed its long-term partnership with the Atlassian Williams Formula 1 Team which started in 2023 to create a new type of brand performance that combines cryptocurrency fan interaction with their existing business activities. The renewed agreement reinforces both parties’ commitment to innovation and technical excellence through their intention to build stronger relationships with audiences around the world.

Since becoming Williams’ Official Crypto and Web3 Partner, Kraken has worked with the team to develop fan activations that move beyond traditional sponsorships. These initiatives include the Grid Pass digital collectible program, which unlocks exclusive perks for registered fans, and Kraken’s role as presenting partner of Williams Fan Zones worldwide. These Fan Zones allow supporters to meet drivers, try race simulators, and experience Formula 1 cars without attending a Grand Prix weekend.

Fan participation has also extended to the car itself. Since 2023, Kraken has allowed fans to influence rear-wing branding through annual “Rear Wing Takeovers,” including a 2025 campaign that featured a memecoin design during the Singapore Grand Prix. From 2026, Kraken’s branding will shift to a more prominent position on the FW48’s front wing.

Williams’ team leadership has highlighted Kraken’s role in bringing fans “closer to the team,” while Kraken has framed the partnership around “technical excellence” and long-term infrastructure building. Both sides position the renewal as a shared investment in fundamentals, performance, and sustained growth as Formula 1 enters a new regulatory era.

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