What are fan tokens? 9 best fan tokens for sports fans

The introduction of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies has revolutionized how football fans can support their favorite teams. Before, emotional satisfaction, priority treatments, and bragging rights motivated supporters.

Now, with the introduction of fan tokens, fans can earn rewards in the form of tokens that can be exchanged for perks, redeemable rewards, and even the opportunity to vote on club-related matters.

This article will explore a selection of the fan tokens available, detailing how they work and how the clubs and fans benefit from them.

What is a fan token?

Fan tokens are digital assets designed specifically for sports fans that provide a host of membership benefits. Holders of fan tokens are often entitled to a broad range of unique perks. These include access to exclusive content, merchandise, experiences, and the right to vote on club decisions.

The crypto industry saw its first set of fan tokens in 2019, as Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain started the movement by launching their own digital assets. Since then, many football clubs in Europe and other parts of the world have followed suit and adopted a similar digital asset system. The clubs benefit from fan tokens by using them as tools to manage fans' activities on blockchain networks. Meanwhile, fans enjoy a whole range of benefits that include having a direct say in team-related polls and gaining the opportunity to win exclusive team merchandise.

Fan tokens behave like typical cryptocurrencies outside their club communities. Users can buy, sell, or trade them on crypto exchanges and marketplaces. Fans' participation and engagement are the two main factors that determine the value of fan tokens.

Having understood the concept behind fan tokens and what they represent, here are the nine best fans club tokens for football teams. From Manchester City (CITY) token to Paris-Saint Germain's PSG token, these are the most popular fan tokens you can find on the market today.

Manchester City fan token (CITY)

Manchester City Football Club, also known as Man City, is an English football club founded in 1800. For many years, the club existed in the shadows of its neighbor, Manchester United. Man City's fortunes changed after a takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group. The club has since gone on to become one of the world's most highly-rated clubs.

Manchester City's renaissance coincided with a technological evolution sweeping the world. The club has connected with supporters by creating its fan token, CITY. Man City launched its fan token in March 2021 on Chiliz. Chiliz is considered the birthplace of the fan token. It's a proof-of-authority (PoA) blockchain and a Web3 sports infrastructure.

Crypto analysts believe the clubs growing fanbase could potentially see its fan token perform well in the future.

Tottenham Hotspur fan token (SPURS)

Tottenham Hotspur was on a hot streak at the start of the 23/24 Premier League season, reaching the top of the table following an undefeated run. This success on the pitch coincided with the launch of the SPURS fan token in October 2023.

The launch of the SPURS fan token was a significant event for long-time Tottenham Hotspur supporters, as it gave them a new way to engage with the club and earn exclusive rewards. Such rewards include winning upcoming match day tickets and attending exclusive meet-and-greets with team players.

The launch of the SPURS fan token was also a sign of Tottenham Hotspur's commitment to digital innovation and fan engagement, with the club joining a growing list of Premier League teams that have launched fan tokens. It's clear they're looking for new ways to further connect with their global fanbase as Tottenham Hotspur continues to expand on the available pool of perks and benefits for holding SPURS fan tokens.

Paris Saint-Germain fan token (PSG)

Paris Saint-Germain is a famous French football club based in Paris, France. It was founded in 1970 and has grown to become one of the most recognized clubs worldwide, winning the French Ligue 1 on multiple occasions.

The club was among the early adopters of the fans club token as far back as 2019. Paris Saint-Germain minted the PSG token on the Ethereum blockchain. It's also available on the Socios fan token platform. Socios is a popular fan token marketplace where you can buy or trade tokens. You can also use the platform to keep track of upcoming fan token offerings.

PSG tokens allow holders to participate in the process of choosing the message to write on the captain's armband. Holders also gain access to selected VIP experiences at the club and can use the tokens to acquire official PSG team merchandise.

Santos FC token (SANTOS)

Santos is a well respected Brazilian football team and one of the most popular on the South American continent. The club was founded in April 1912 and is based in Vila Belmiro, Santos, São Paulo.

Some of the most iconic figures in footballing history have played for Santos at some point in their careers. They include three-time FIFA World Cup winner Pelé and the Brazilian national team's current all-time top scorer, Neymar. Both players left remarkable impressions on global football and contributed to Santos' popularity.

The football club launched its fan token, SANTOS, in November 2021. The SANTOS token is based on the Binance Smart Chain as a BEP-20 protocol. SANTOS holders can participate in all Santos team activities and voting events. Fans carry out the voting process on the Binance Fan Token voting platform. Fans can, for example, vote for the team's warm-up song before a football match.

Other benefits for SANTOS holders include access to NFTs, official club merchandise, and GameFi. SANTOS is one of the most popular fan tokens by market capitalization.

FC Barcelona fan token (BAR)

FC Barcelona is one of the top Spanish football clubs and among the most popular in the world. It's a European giant that's been the home to many of history's greatest football players, including Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Johan Cruyff.

FC Barcelona was founded in November 1899 and has since amassed a huge and loyal fanbase thanks to the club's years of success. The club plays at the famous Camp Nou stadium, with a capacity of 99,345, which is located in Barcelona, Spain.

FC Barcelona launched its fan token (BAR) in June 2020. BAR is Ethereum-based and can be accessed using the Socios fan token platform. Fans holding BAR can enjoy numerous types of rewards. They can vote on various decisions about the club, including the message on the captain's armband.

Other perks associated with BAR include access to official merchandise, meeting invites, and match tickets.

Galatasaray fan token (GAL)

Galatasaray is a Turkish football giant founded in 1905. The club plays its home matches at Nef Stadium, located in Istanbul, which seats a total of 52,280 spectators. Hakan Sukur, Didier Drogba, and Wesley Sneijder are some of the renowned names in football to have played for Galatasaray.

Galatasaray launched its fan token (GAL) on the Socios platform in February 2020. It's operated on an Ethereum blockchain's sidechain, with the capability of functioning as a utility token.

GAL empowers holders to participate in the club's governance processes through voting. They also enjoy discounts when purchasing the club's official merchandise using the fan token.

Inter Milan fan token (INTER)

Football Club Internazionale Milano, popularly known as Inter Milan, was founded 115 years ago in 1908. The club plays its home games at the Giuseppe Meazza, which has a total spectator capacity of 75,923.

Inter Milan is one of Europe's most historical and prestigious football clubs. It's been home to legendary footballers like Giuseppe Meazza, after whom the club named its stadium. Other stars including Javier Zanetti and Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima also played for Inter Milan during their active days.

Inter Milan launched its fan token, INTER, on the Socios platform in September 2021. While launching INTER, the club announced it would create new experiences for its supporters. True to its word, INTER has enabled the fan community to integrate with the club's activities. INTER holders can vote on decisions affecting the club. They can also participate in choosing a song to play while celebrating goals at the Giuseppe Meazza.

AC Milan fan token (ACM)

AC Milan and Inter Milan are the two biggest football clubs in Milan. Although they share the same stadium, its name varies depending which team is playing. When AC Milan plays, the stadium goes by the name San Siro. AC Milan was founded in 1899 and has been home to countless iconic footballers including Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, and George Weah.

The club launched its fan token, ACM, in February 2021, taking advantage of its global fanbase. ACM is available on Socios and allows fans to tokenize rewards earned from different activities. ACM's relatively low price has led some crypto users to believe it is undervalued, considering the club's global fanbase.

S.S. Lazio fan token (LAZIO)

S.S. Lazio is another Italian football club of high pedigree. It was founded in January 1900, and plays its home games at the Stadio Olimpico. S.S. Lazio has been home to iconic football names like Giorgio Chenaglia, Alessandro Nesta, and Pavel Nedved.

The Stadio Olimpico seats 70,634 spectators at maximum capacity. However, Lazio's fan base across the globe stretches well beyond. The club's global supporter base forms the community that's powering its fan token, called LAZIO.

LAZIO launched on the Binance Launchpad in October 2021. It's a BEP-20 token based on the Binance Smart Chain. LAZIO holders can participate in the club's e-commerce ecosystem. They can also win collectibles and participate in the club's decision-making processes through voting.

Crypto tokens revolutionize football support

By holding and using digital assets in the form of fan tokens, the most passionate supporters of football teams are finding new ways to show their love and benefit from their dedication to the team. The creation of tokenized digital assets also helps to fortify the relationships between clubs and their supporters — bringing mutual benefits to both parties. Fans can now participate in some of the decision-making processes of the clubs they support, giving more power to those the club relies on.

Fan tokens are still in their early days with much unexplored potential. Users trade fan tokens across decentralized marketplaces outside the clubs' ecosystems and communities. They've also become tools for investing in crypto while enjoying the satisfaction derived from supporting a football team.

Interested in exploring the potential of sports NFTs? Check out our guides to football NFTs and NBA Top Shot for examples of popular NFTs in the space.

FAQs

What are fan tokens?

Fan tokens are digital assets designed to reward sports fans by providing membership benefits. Holders of fan tokens are often entitled to a broad range of unique membership perks. These include access to exclusive content, merchandise, experiences, and the right to vote on club decisions.

Can you make money with fan tokens?

Like all the other digital assets and cryptocurrencies listed on OKX, fan tokens can be traded, meaning their value can rise as well as fall. Ultimately, fan tokens are listed on exchanges, and their overall value is dictated by demand and supply for the tokens.

What's the difference between fan tokens and NFTs?

Unlike their non-fungible counterparts, which tend to have one-of-a-kind attributes, fan tokens can be exchanged with each other as they do not carry unique properties that differentiate one fan token from another.