UEFA and AntChain bring blockchain tech to Euro 2021

UEFA and AntChain, Ant Group’s blockchain business, have announced a five-year partnership.

Ant Group is the FinTech arm of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.

The aim of the UEFA/AntChain tie up is to explore how blockchain technology can be used to further football’s digital transformation efforts and improve the experiences of fans around the world.

Under the agreement, AntChain will become the official global blockchain partner of UEFA Euro 2020, which kicks off tomorrow, and also the 2024 event.

@antgroup officially launched AntChain, a new brand for blockchain-based solutions, to further build trust for industries and our society in this digital age. Started as a side project in 2015, AntChain has now built the largest productivity #blockchain platform in China. pic.twitter.com/jmwUobOcWX
— Ant Group (@antgroup) July 23, 2020

Meanwhile, the tournament’s top scorer trophy has been designed by Ant Group’s digital payment offshoot Alipay (a UEFA global partner since November 2018).

Sculpted in the shape of the Chinese character “支” (pronounced zhi, and meaning ‘payment’ as well as ‘support’), the barefooted player on the trophy reflects, according to a press release, “the egalitarian footballing ideal that success on the pitch comes regardless of background or status”.

It adds: “The hash code on the base of the trophy underlines AntChain’s commitment to ensuring a permanent, incorruptible record of the top scorer’s achievements with blockchain technology”.

Go Global 11.11 Pitch Fest

Earlier this week, Alibaba Group’s Tmall Global cross-border e-commerce platform announced the launch of the UK and Ireland edition of Go Global 11.11 Pitch Fest.

This follows on from its Pitch Fest 2020 event in the US.

The initiative will provide an opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to be fast tracked into Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, which last year generated $74.1 billion in GMV.

Brands can register to pitch their products to an Alibaba panel. Selected entrants will be fast tracked and launched on Tmall Global via one of two routes: Tmall Global Flagship store or Tmall’s Overseas Fulfilment programme.

They will receive advice from Tmall Global, and their products will be featured on the marketplace during 11:11.

They will also feature in a livestreaming session hosted by the Tmall Global team in the lead up to and during 11.11. Brands will also be pitched to some of the most famous influencers in China for inclusion in their 11.11 livestreams.