- A new asset class is coming to the sports industry, giving fans and investors access to structured, regulated financial interests in professional teams.
- New research conducted by Chiliz in partnership with OnePoll shows 72% of fans are demanding a stake in the game, and would pay an average of £913 ($1,240) for a digital asset offering club equity.
LONDON, 27th August 2026:— The Chiliz Group, the world’s leading blockchain provider for the sports and entertainment industry, today announces the introduction of a new category of digital asset—Socios Equity Token—designed to provide fans and investors with access to minority equity stakes in professional sports teams; marking the latest stage in Chiliz’s mission to build a new generation of tokenized infrastructure for the sports industry.
Through the acquisition of minority stakes in participating clubs by The Chiliz Group, Socios Equity Token ecosystem will offer eligible participants with a structured economic interest in the teams they invest in. By tokenizing these structured stakes, equity ownership becomes more accessible, while enabling 24/7 global distribution and liquidity across digital ecosystems and external financial markets.
Socios Equity Token will act as a new asset class alongside Fan Token digital assets—Chiliz’s leading sports utility and engagement tokens, already available on the Socios.com platform for 70+ leading global sports organizations.
Fan Token digital assets will remain as the Group’s core fan monetization product focused on utility, while Socios Equity Token digital assets will be offered as regulated securities representing financial interests in professional sports teams, subject to applicable offering documents. The new asset class essentially combines the financial characteristics of an investment in a professional sports asset, with additional utility built around the relationship between clubs and their global communities.
“Professional sports franchises are estimated to be worth around $500 billion globally, yet for most, owning even a small stake in a club has always been out of reach. Minority ownership is difficult to access, and even harder to buy or sell. Socios Equity Tokens are designed to change that,” said Alexandre Dreyfus, Founder and CEO of The Chiliz Group. “By bringing a portion of club ownership onchain, we’re opening up a new way to invest in sports, combining genuine financial exposure with the unique engagement and utility that comes from being connected to a club.”
More details about the participating clubs, offering terms, eligibility and timing will be shared in due course, as individual offerings progress through the necessary club, league and regulatory approvals.
Fans are demanding a stake in the game
New research conducted by Chiliz in partnership with OnePoll shows demand is already there. 77% of football fans surveyed across the US, UK, Italy, Spain and South Korea say that owning a financial stake in their club would make them feel more connected to it. A further 72% state they’d be interested in purchasing a digital asset offering club equity, with more than a quarter (27%) describing themselves as “very interested”.
Fans also see tangible upside in ownership, and they’re willing to back that belief with real money. On average, fans said they would pay an average of £913 ($1,240) for a club ownership asset, extending to more than one in five fans (21%) stating intent to invest over £1,000. Dividend payments and capital growth were named the most appealing benefits of a financial stake, both cited by 51% of fans.
The US stands out as by far the strongest opportunity for an equity-token launch. 85% of US fans cite interest in purchasing an ownership asset, well above the 72% global average, and the market posts the highest ratings of any country for both dividend payments (57%) and capital growth (58%) as appealing benefits. US fans also report the second-highest average willingness to invest, at £1,027 ($1,395), narrowly behind Korean fans at £1,090 ($1,481).
The research also reveals millennials as the generation to pay most attention to, coming out on top on almost every measure—including by far and away the highest average willingness to invest of all age groups, at £995 ($1,357).
Source: OnePoll, 2026 (Chiliz Equity Research Survey; n=5,000), with 1,000 respondents surveyed in each of the five countries. The generation breakdown comprises 634 Gen Z respondents, 1,980 Millennials, 1,602 Gen X respondents and 752 Boomers. The Silent Generation (n=32) has been excluded from all generational breakdowns as its sample size falls below the recommended minimum reporting threshold of 80 respondents.
Disclaimer: Socios Equity Token digital assets are currently under development and are not currently available for purchase or investment. This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer, solicitation, or invitation to buy, sell, or subscribe for any crypto-asset or financial instrument. Any future offering of Socios Equity Token will be subject to applicable laws and regulatory approvals. Product design, token utilities, holders’ rights, availability and launch timelines remain subject to change.
