Football, cryptocurrency and NFTs

Supporters whose eyes wander away from the direct action on the pitch may have been mystified by the electronic advertisements for a sponsor by the name of eToro. Was this a Chinese washing-machine manufacturer? A Korean smartphone? Or maybe a brand-new arrival in the sportswear market?

None of the above. In fact the Israeli company is what used to be known as a stockbroker, a go-between trader in shares. The difference is that they trade in the new world of cryptocurrencies and their derivatives.

A rash of crypto traders have pounced on high-value football clubs in western Europe as a promotional shortcut to the millions of fans who may be enticed