Canadian speed skater becomes world’s first athlete to be paid in cryptocurrency

Canadian speed skater Ted-Jan Bloemen is set to become the first athlete in history to be paid in cryptocurrency for his performance at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, as the hype surrounding digital asset transfers grows.

Dutch-born Bloemen, who won silver in the men’s 5,000-meter event on Sunday, has penned a one-year sponsorship deal with cryptocurrency social network onG.social, which forms part of a larger deal involving virtual reality developer CEEK VR.

“I’m very excited to be the first ever #Crypto Sponsored Athlete,” the 31-year-old tweeted. “Thanks CEEK Virtual Reality and onG.social for being at the forefront of technology and this great achievement. Looking forward to a great relationship and the exciting times ahead.”