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gunnercooke advises Xapo Bank on landmark partnership with Aston Villa Football Club
Legal and professional services firm gunnercooke recently advised long-standing client, Xapo Bank, on its official partnership with Aston Villa Football Club, coinciding with the bank’s strategic entry into the UK market.
Xapo Bank, a fully regulated, Bitcoin-enabled private bank licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC), offers clients a unique banking experience with both USD and Bitcoin (BTC) accounts. The partnership with Aston Villa marks a significant step for Xapo as it builds brand recognition and trust in the UK, aligning with the growing global trend of Premier League clubs partnering with innovative Web3 and fintech companies.
James Burnie, Financial Services Regulation & FinTech Partner at gunnercooke, alongside Holly Joseph, Trainee Solicitor and CMO / Operating Partner Pavan Kaur, alongside Operating Associate Mark Sapolinski provided end-to-end support. This included legal structuring, regulatory compliance advice, particularly in relation to UK financial promotions .
James Burnie FRSA commented: “As crypto has become increasingly mainstream, there is a rise in premiership clubs partnering with Web3 companies as part of their general strategy. From the perspective of the UK being a crypto hub, the Xapo Bank/Aston Villa partnership is particularly interesting, given that Xapo Bank is licenced to service the UK market, and so this is a sign of the UK crypto scene beginning to be seen to expand after much talk around the UK becoming a crypto hub.
“We are delighted to have supported Xapo Bank, who are a longstanding client, in achieving this milestone. Personally, this has been significant because it shows not only that there is a clear pathway towards compliance with the UK financial promotion requirements, but also that there are clear benefits to compliance, in terms of being seen as a safe pair of hands to partner with leading institutions such as Aston Villa Football Club. With only 20 Premier League clubs, opportunities for partnerships of this calibre are limited and rare, so this is a forward-thinking strategy for Xapo in establishing a presence in the UK and beyond, and ahead of the curve.”
Pavan Kaur added: “It’s been a privilege to support Xapo Bank on such a high-profile and forward-thinking partnership. This collaboration with Aston Villa reflects Xapo’s commitment to building global brand presence in a compliant and sustainable way. At gunnercooke, we’re seeing a clear shift in how ambitious, regulated businesses approach marketing toward strategic, value-driven growth. This partnership is a great example of how compliance and creativity can work hand in hand to deliver meaningful impact.”
Joey Garcia, Executive Director, Chief Digital Asset & Legal Officer at Xapo Bank, said: “This partnership with Aston Villa Football Club marks a proud moment for Xapo Bank. Aligning with a club that shares our values of tradition, ambition, and innovation is a natural fit. We are committed to delivering future-forward financial services, and this collaboration underscores our mission to foster confidence and bridge the gap between traditional banking and digital finance in a meaningful and regulated way.”
Find out more about the gunnercooke crypto team here.
