Crypto payment processor Apirone signed a sponsorship deal with the Meigas Fora III yacht team, ForkLog learned from company representatives.
The crew, led by captain Ilya Vinogradov, competes on an X-99 class yacht representing Club Nàutic Vilanova in Spain.
Team Results
The Apirone-sponsored team placed second at the VII Catalonia Golden Cup, held from October 31 to November 2, 2025 in Badalona. The crew competed in the ORC Altura Tripulación Completa category (group 2).
Meigas Fora III also participates in other regional regattas, including MAPFRE competitions and Club Nàutic Vilanova events. The team previously competed in the Barcelona Coastal Race 2021.
Crypto Companies in Sports
Apirone’s partnership with the sailing team follows a broader trend of crypto companies sponsoring sports teams. OKX became a partner of McLaren in Formula 1, while Kraken partnered with Williams Racing. Gemini founders invested in Peter McCormack’s Real Bedford football club, and Tether acquired a stake in Juventus.
Apirone outlined several reasons for its interest in sailing:
- Brand awareness. Yacht regattas are media-friendly and prestigious elite sport. Brand presence in this context builds trust.
- Shared values. Apirone positions itself as an innovative, global, and lightweight tool. Yachting is also associated with technology, internationality, and mobility.
- New audience. Yacht owners, sponsors, and sailors form a niche but influential community, often connected to tech startups and entrepreneurs.
- Unique case. While other crypto companies focus on football, Formula 1, and other popular sports, participation in yacht regattas offers a fresher and more distinctive approach to sports sponsorship.
Apirone is a team of crypto enthusiasts building tools for transparent and automated crypto payments. The product includes instant forwarding, recurring billing, segregated client addresses, and withdrawal from specific addresses. Apirone serves over 20 million addresses and processes around 2,500 transactions daily, providing businesses with reliable infrastructure for digital asset operations.
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