Crypto platform Coinbase to sponsor Smash tournaments

After an uncertain period exacerbated by the pandemic, it seems the Smash community is hitting the big time after Beyond The Summit announced cryptocurrency platform Coinbase as a sponsor for three upcoming events organized by BTS; Ultimate Summit 3, Mainstage, and Summit 12.

The first of which event Coinbase will partner for is Ultimate Summit 3, an invitational tournament set to start on 26th August.

Following Ultimate Summit 3, Coinbase will also sponsor Mainstage on 12th November an Ultimate and Melee major set to be held at the Ontario Convention Center in California.

Mainstage will serve as a qualifier for Melee players looking to get into Summit 12, giving a total of six spots for the invitational scheduled to close out the year on 9th December. While the event will also give spots for Ultimate Summit 4, Coinbase will not function as a sponsor by the time it rolls around.

• Read more: Mang0 becomes oldest Melee player to win a Major, the game that refuses to die
  

According to a quick statement provided by BTS, this partnership will allow the crypto exchange platform to support the Smash community and "educate gamers about the mysterious world of cryptocurrency." 

The value of the deal between Coinbase and BTS is unclear, but it follows a number of partnerships Coinbase has made this year with other entities in esports including Evil Geniuses, ESL Gaming, and BLAST.

The sponsorship comes shortly after the Smash Melee community broke the record for the biggest prize pool in the game's history with Summit 11, an event that saw Joseph "Mang0" Marquez walk away with just under $47,000 of the $155,000 pool.

For more on all things Smash, check out our dedicated sections to both Ultimate and Melee filled with news, tournament results, and more.