What are Fan Tokens? Which projects hold the most potential for investment? Let's explore this with @Learn_With_Fullo !
As the EURO 2024 season draws near, the cryptocurrency market is buzzing, particularly with Fan Token projects—cryptocurrencies dedicated to sports. But what are Fan Tokens? Which projects hold the most potential for investment? Let’s explore this with AZC.News!
What Are Fan Tokens?
Fan Tokens are a subset of Social Tokens that specifically target artists and sports teams with a substantial fan following. In the cryptocurrency market, Fan Tokens primarily serve as representations of sports teams, particularly in football (soccer), followed by basketball and rugby.
This article will primarily examine Fan Tokens associated with football teams and their performance during significant events such as the World Cup and the Euro.
The utility of each Fan Token varies depending on the issuing entity. The value of the token tends to increase with the prominence of the issuer’s brand. Additionally, the platform responsible for token issuance also plays a role in determining its value.
Why Do Fan Tokens Exist?
Sports is a billion-dollar industry with potential not only in media and advertising but also in product sales. A large fan base willing to spend money on their favorite teams is a huge advantage. For these reasons, major players in both the sports and cryptocurrency fields have collaborated to launch Fan Tokens, catering to user demand and the profit goals of clubs.
Currently, there are two main types of Fan Tokens on the market, issued by Binance and Socios by Chiliz. Binance has issued tokens such as LAZIO (S.S.Lazio), PORTO (FC Porto), SANTOS (Santos FC), and ALPINE (Alpine F1 team). Other Fan Tokens are issued by Socios.
Components of a Fan Token
Fan Tokens involve three main components, each receiving distinct value:
Token Issuers (Socios, Binance, etc.): They support sports teams in issuing tokens to collect transaction fees, utilize team images depending on the terms, and attract fans to their exchanges.
Sports Teams: They receive valuable contracts from token issuers and can use Fan Tokens for various purposes like rewards, creating utility, and attracting crypto users.
Community: Comprising individuals who own/trade Fan Tokens. They can speculate for profit or buy Fan Tokens to support their favorite sports teams.
Use Cases of Fan Tokens
Theoretically, Fan Tokens can be applied in various scenarios:
Payment Tools: Fans can use tokens to exchange for accessories, items, or as discount vouchers.
Unlock Privileges: Holding a certain number of tokens grants users specific privileges.
Fundraising: Creators can sell a portion of their Social Tokens to develop projects.
Enhancing Connectivity: Token holders may feel a sense of belonging to a community, providing spiritual and symbolic value.
Free Incentives: Fan Tokens can serve as incentives to attract the community and boost marketing.
Specific Applications of Some Fan Tokens
Voting: Vote for the best player of each match, choose the training session of the team to be posted on Instagram stories (e.g., Porto Fan Token).
Payments: Buy NFT items (Alpine Ticket), purchase tickets for football matches (Lazio Box Seat).
Currently, Fan Tokens don’t have extensive applications. Socios, the largest Fan Token issuer, proposes a few applications such as:
Participating in programs organized by the sports club, with opportunities to receive rewards.
Actively interacting through the app to accumulate SSU—a token for loyal users, used as currency within the app.
Exchanging SSU tokens for club memorabilia, participating in matchday experiences, or meeting events.
Token holders can propose victory celebration songs, select locker room messages, or change the design of the team bus.
Top 5 Notable Fan Tokens for EURO 2024
Chiliz (CHZ)
Chiliz is a crypto project focusing on sports and entertainment, aiming to bridge the gap between the sports world and fans through technology and community development. Chiliz focuses on enhancing fan interaction by utilizing tokens, allowing them to engage and connect with their favorite clubs.
Chiliz has established its own blockchain called Chiliz Chain, enabling clubs and sports organizations to issue tokens specifically for their fans. This allows fans to support and participate in various decisions related to the team, as well as access exclusive rewards and experiences.
Portugal National Team Fan Token (POR)
The Portugal National Team Fan Token is a utility token for fans of the Portuguese national football team, first launched in September 2021 on the Socios platform. The Portugal National Team Fan Token had a total of 1,000,000 tokens sold in the presale at a price of $2 per token. Currently, this token operates on the Chiliz Chain network.
Managed by the Portuguese Football Federation (F.P.F), the Portugal national team is renowned for football legend Cristiano Ronaldo. Their best achievement was winning the UEFA Euro 2016. Currently, the team boasts many promising young talents, holding great potential for upcoming major titles.
Paris Saint-Germain Fan Token (PSG)
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is a renowned French football club based in Paris. Established in 1970, PSG has grown into one of the top clubs in the world, winning numerous Ligue 1 titles.
PSG was one of the early adopters of fan tokens since 2019. The PSG token, minted on the Ethereum blockchain and listed on the Socios fan token platform, allows fans to purchase or trade tokens and stay informed about upcoming fan token sales. PSG token owners can participate in choosing the captain’s armband message, enjoy VIP experiences at the club, and purchase official PSG merchandise.
Santos FC Token (SANTOS)
Santos FC is a long-standing and famous Brazilian football club founded in April 1912, based in Vila Belmiro, Santos, São Paulo. Iconic figures in football history such as Pelé and Neymar have played for Santos, contributing to its global recognition.
The SANTOS fan token was launched in November 2021, based on the Binance Smart Chain as a BEP-20 protocol. SANTOS owners can engage in activities and voting events of the Santos team on the Binance Fan Token voting platform, such as voting for the pre-match anthem. Other benefits include access to NFTs, official club merchandise, and GameFi.
S.S. Lazio Fan Token (LAZIO)
S.S. Lazio, founded in January 1900, is a renowned Italian football club that plays its matches at the Olimpico Stadium. Lazio has produced iconic figures such as Giorgio Chenaglia, Alessandro Nesta, and Pavel Nedved.
The Olimpico Stadium has a seating capacity of 70,634, and Lazio has millions of fans worldwide. The LAZIO fan token, launched on the Binance Launchpad in October 2021, is a BEP-20 token based on the Binance Smart Chain. LAZIO token owners can participate in the club’s e-commerce ecosystem, receive collectibles, and engage in the club’s decision-making process through voting.