Chelsea’s summer fire sale collides with its deepening crypto sponsorship strategy

Chelsea FC is cleaning house this summer, placing defenders Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi alongside goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen on the transfer market.

While Chelsea trims its squad, it’s simultaneously leaning harder into its crypto-backed commercial machine. The club renewed its partnership with crypto exchange BingX as principal and training-kit sponsor back in April 2026.

The departures nobody is crying about

Axel Disasi arrived at Stamford Bridge from Monaco in August 2023 for £38.6M. He’s now heading for a permanent exit after loan spells at Aston Villa and West Ham.

Filip Jorgensen, who joined Chelsea in 2025, rounds out the trio. A fan poll showed 91% of Chelsea supporters favor selling Jorgensen along with others on the chopping block.

The departures are part of Chelsea’s broader strategy during the early stages of the July 2026 transfer window, where the club is actively managing both incomings and outgoings.

The BingX connection and why it matters

The club renewed its partnership with BingX, the crypto exchange, as its principal and training-kit sponsor in April 2026.

UK regulators, specifically the Financial Conduct Authority and the Advertising Standards Authority, have been increasing scrutiny of crypto involvement in sports sponsorships. The FCA has been particularly vocal about ensuring that crypto advertising meets the same standards as other financial promotions.

What this means for crypto investors and the broader market

Chelsea paid £38.6M for Disasi alone, and recouping anything close to that figure seems unlikely given his trajectory through two loan moves.

Any new FCA guidance on crypto advertising in sports could ripple across the entire sector, affecting not just BingX but every exchange currently sponsoring European football clubs.

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