Empowering the Future: zondacrypto’s Vision for Crypto and Women’s Sports

• What are the core principles of zondacrypto, and how do they guide your growth strategy in today’s evolving regulatory and market landscape?

There are really three key ideas that guide everything we do: education, security, and making things easy to use – what we call transactability. These ideas are also essential when it comes to growth. We know that a lot of people still find crypto mysterious and a little bit confusing. Some people even think it’s just for geeks or the super-rich. So we know we have to change those assumptions, and we think the best way to do it is by making crypto more accessible and straightforward for everyone who’s curious – and a lot of people are curious.

Education is a huge part of this, and that’s why we created a place where people can go for practical, beginner-friendly content, which we call the zondacrypto Academy. What does “staking” actually mean? How can I store my crypto safely? Whatever the issue, we can walk you through it. We want people to feel informed and in control because we know all the complex jargon can be overwhelming.

Putting a big emphasis on security also helps a lot. We have more than a million users across Europe, and keeping their funds and data safe has to be our top priority. That’s why our anti-money laundering and know-your-customer processes are of a level you’d expect from a traditional bank. That includes everything from verifying identities to monitoring for strange activity, but the overall aim is to create an environment that inspires confidence precisely because that confidence is merited.

The “transactability” part is about making the whole experience seamless and intuitive. You shouldn’t need a degree in computer science to navigate a crypto platform, so we’ve simplified the user experience as much as we can. That means that anyone, regardless of background or tech skills, can get started with us and then keep growing as they get more and more comfortable with the technology and the whole ecosystem.

This focus on education, security and ease of use helps us build trust, stay compliant, and adapt to the needs of our customers as both they and the industry evolve.

• zondacrypto has emerged as a unique player in championing women’s sports within the crypto space. What sparked this initiative, and how do you see it shaping the perception of both industries?

This goes back to some of the principles we just mentioned. We want to do whatever we can to make crypto more accessible, approachable, and inclusive, and the idea of supporting women’s sports emerged from the same mindset. A lot of crypto brands try to get visibility out of big-name, male-dominated sports, but here we saw an opportunity to make a real impact by showing up where support was really needed.

We’re proud to be backing the fantastic Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto Racing team and incredible female athletes like Tiffany Cromwell and Kasia Niewiadoma. These are top-tier competitors who don’t always get the attention they deserve. We want to help change that.

It’s about living our values by supporting people and causes that reflect what we stand for. That’s why we also recently welcomed inspirational paracyclist Andrea Pusateri as an ambassador. His own personal story of resilience is amazing, and his advocacy for disability inclusion in sport shows how much can be done to really shift the conversation and change people’s mindsets.

I guess we want to shift the conversation in our arena too. We want to challenge outdated norms and show that digital finance can be thoughtful, community-driven, and focused on meaningful change.

• The intersection of sports and crypto isn’t often explored. Why do you see this as a missed opportunity, and how can it evolve into a meaningful channel for community building and long-term growth?

We see the intersection of sports and crypto as an untapped opportunity for building communities and driving meaningful growth. Sports fans are some of the most dedicated people out there, and crypto enthusiasts are all about innovation. Bringing those two worlds together opens up unique ways to connect, educate, and inspire. Sports have a unique ability to reach broad audiences, which makes them a great gateway to introduce people to crypto. At the same time, crypto can actually enhance the fan experience through things like fan tokens, digital collectibles, and blockchain-powered ticketing.

By bringing these two spaces together, we can create more inclusive communities that engage fans in new, meaningful ways. For crypto, it means more visibility and real-world use. For sports, it unlocks fresh revenue streams and builds deeper, more personal connections with fans. Supporting athletes and teams, particularly those in underrepresented sports, provides a platform for innovation, education, and empowerment.

At the end of the day, zondacrypto’s aim is to build lasting relationships between fans, users, teams, and platforms, driven by shared values like accessibility, innovation, and inclusion. When done right, both industries grow stronger together.

• The industry is seeing a rise in sports partnerships. zondacrypto recently sponsored the Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo races and appointed Formula 1 Driver Arthur Leclerc as an ambassador. How do initiatives like these help demystify crypto and build trust with new audiences?

For a lot of people, crypto still feels abstract or hard to relate to, but sport doesn’t. That’s why we see sports partnerships as such a useful way to help people feel more comfortable with the idea of cryptocurrency. When someone sees our logo at an event they already care about or hears about us through a familiar face like Arthur Leclerc or Valtteri Bottas, it naturally sparks curiosity. And that curiosity is a great starting point.

It’s also a matter of context. If someone’s at a cycling race or watching a Formula 1 event, they’re already engaged, they’re paying attention. That’s a much better time to introduce new ideas, like crypto, than just throwing information at them out of the blue. We’re not trying to convert anyone overnight. It’s more about making things feel accessible, showing people that crypto doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating.

• The ZND token offers tiered loyalty benefits. How might these benefits be used to further engage and reward supporters of the women’s sports teams and athletes you sponsor, strengthening the connection between the crypto community and women’s sports?

The ZND token is our way of rewarding active engagement. That could mean staking tokens, using the platform regularly, or joining events. As our involvement in women’s sports has grown, it’s felt natural to look at how the token can bring together two passionate groups: crypto users and sports fans.

Our partnership with the Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto cycling team and sponsorship of events like the Giro d’Italia Femminile allow us to do exactly that. We’re exploring how to translate digital loyalty into real-world value, offering fans exclusive perks such as VIP access, team merchandise, and athlete meet-and-greets tied to iconic race moments. Creating moments of real value, not just digital transactions.

We began testing this approach during the final of the 2024 Giro d’Italia, where we awarded Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar €15,000 in $ZND tokens for winning the Giro d’Italia, and Lotte Kopecky was awarded with €20,000 for the same feat during women edition of this race. It was a simple but impactful way to introduce the token in a setting that already carried strong emotional engagement. As we build on these initiatives, our aim is to deepen the connection between crypto and sport, not just through utility and incentives, but by creating authentic moments of genuine engagement that bring these communities closer together.

• Looking ahead, how does zondacrypto plan to deepen its involvement in women’s sports and continue driving inclusivity, both within crypto and across the broader tech and finance landscape?

We’re continuing to move beyond simple sponsorships. That means integrating with the broader fan experience, whether it’s through token rewards, education, or exclusive content. We want fans to feel like they’re not just watching, but part of the journey.

We’re also doubling down on education through the zondacrypto Academy, helping people move beyond simply understanding crypto to actually feeling confident using it – especially those who’ve been left out of financial systems before.

Ultimately, we want to build an ecosystem where inclusion isn’t an afterthought but the default. And by applying that mindset to both the crypto and sports worlds, we’re helping create more opportunities for people to engage, learn, and grow.

• A special thanks to zondacrypto and Karolina Gwozdz for taking the time to share valuable insights with us. Your commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and education is truly inspiring, and we look forward to seeing how zondacrypto continues to shape the future of both the crypto industry and the world of women’s sports.