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MLB Sensation Shohei Ohtani Becomes FTX’s Newest Brand Ambassador

The exchange’s deal with the Japanese-born pitcher and slugger is the latest in its run of high-profile athlete partnerships.

Updated May 11, 2023, 4:00 p.m. Published Nov 16, 2021, 7:30 p.m.
Shohei Ohtani (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Major League Baseball (MLB) phenom Shohei Ohtani is joining FTX as its newest brand ambassador, the crypto exchange announced Tuesday.

Ohtani’s compensation for the deal will be paid entirely in cryptocurrency and FTX equity, according to a report from CNN.

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The deal with the Los Angeles Angels pitcher and frontrunner for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award is just the latest of the exchange’s many sports-related sponsorships inked in the last year.

FTX signed former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz as a multi-year ambassador in October and also made a deal in July that put the exchange’s logo patch on MLB umpire shirts.

Ohtani joins the likes of U.S. sports superstars Tampa Bay Buccaneer quarterback Tom Brady and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry as exchange ambassadors.

FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried told CoinDesk in October the exchange will also be airing a commercial in February during the National Football League’s championship game, the Super Bowl.

Read more: FTX Strikes Sponsorship Deal With MLB, Umpires to Wear Crypto Exchange’s Logo

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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

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Tom Lee urges BitMine shareholders to approve share increase ahead of January 14 vote

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The chairman of the former bitcoin miner-turned-ether treasury firm reiterated his view that Ethereum is the future of finance.

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