Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his latest endorsement - penning a multi-year NFT (non-fungible token) partnership with cryptocurrency company Binance.
The veteran forward, 37, boasts several commercial deals with companies such as Nike, Egyptian Steel, Italia Independent, Armani, LiveScore, Castrol, Herbalife, MEO, Therabody, PokerStars and Tag Heuer. These lucrative contracts top-up his eye-watering Manchester United salary, believed to be £385,000-a-week.
Ronaldo also has his own business empire - including a hotel chain and hair transplant clinic - and donates thousands of pounds to charity each year. He is the most marketable footballer on the planet, boasting a record 459million followers on Instagram.
Ronaldo has agreed to launch a series of NFT collections on Binance's NFT platform. The first collection will be launched later this year and will feature 'iconic designs' in collaboration with the footballer. Binance also have partnerships with Lazio and Porto.
NFTs are unique assets that exist in the digital world. They are bought and sold as pieces of property - just like houses or paintings - but aren't physical assets. John Terry, Neymar, Wayne Rooney and Paul Pogba have all promoted NFTs in recent months.
"Nothing is more important to me than the fans, so the idea of bringing unprecedented experiences and access through this platform is something that I wanted to be a part of," said Ronaldo. "I know the fans are going to enjoy the collection as much as I do."
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What are Cristiano Ronaldo's other interests?
Ronaldo's most lucrative commercial partnership is with Nike. He penned a new 10-year deal with the manufacturer in 2016 and, as per a leaked report published in 2019, Ronaldo receives an annual fee of €16.2million (£14.68m) from the lucrative gig.
But that is believed to be just a base rate. He was reportedly paid €20.2m (£18.3m) by Nike both in 2016 and 2017 thanks to a bonus. It's claimed Ronaldo's Nike deal contains a €4m bonus clause, which is activated when he wins a global accolade - such as the Ballon d'Or.
A report in 2019 suggested how much Ronaldo earns from his other commercial deals. Figures revealed included his Armani (£3.8m), ZTE (£4m), Herbalife (£1.95m), KFC (£1.7m), Clear Shampoo (£1.5m), PanzeerGlass (£780,000) and American Tourister (£312,000) deals. His contract with Castrol was thought to be worth more than £14m.
The Portugal skipper makes significant revenue from his hotel chain - named Pestana CR7 - with hotels based in Lisbon, Madrid, Marrakech, New York and his hometown of Funchal. He's also launched his own gym - named CR7 Fitness - based in Madrid.
In terms of charity, Ronaldo was recognised as the 'most charitable sports star in the world' by Dosomething.org in 2015. He's used his profile to promote a number of causes - including child hunger an obesity - and has previously represented the likes of UNICEF.
What is Cristiano Ronaldo's net worth?
According to Forbes' 2022 list, Ronaldo was the third-best paid athlete in the world after earning $115m (£93.7m) last year. Remarkably, $55m (£44.8m) of that figure came via off-field ventures - highlighting the importance of his many new commercial deals.
Ronaldo's net worth is believed to be $500m (£367m), as per reports last year. This has likely grown during the last 12 months due to his latest earnings. Lionel Messi is currently the best paid athlete in the world, taking home $130m (£106m) last year.
