Arsenal’s Kepa blunder against Real Betis puts fan token AFC back in the spotlight

Arsenal’s pre-season friendly against Real Betis at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on August 5 produced the kind of moment that makes goalkeeping coaches reach for antacids. Kepa Arrizabalaga, already carrying baggage from a high-profile mistake during the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City back in March, fumbled a corner kick that led directly to a conceded goal. Fan tokens and the performance feedback loop Arsenal launched its official fan token, AFC, back in August 2021 through a partnership with Socios.com, built on the Chiliz blockchain. The token was designed to give supporters a slice of participatory governance: voting in polls, unlocking rewards, and accessing exclusive club content. AFC currently trades around $0.16 to $0.17 on exchanges including Binance. The broader fan token market Arsenal isn’t the only club on the pitch with crypto ties. Real Betis signed a deal in 2023 with Crypto Blockchain Industries to build out a virtual platform for the Spanish club. Trading activity around any associated Betis tokens remains limited. The Chiliz ecosystem, which underpins most major football fan tokens, has Socios.com partnerships spanning dozens of clubs across European footbal...