Ben Strack

<div id="highlights-block_623dfd049bcd4" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>Donations will go to the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to be shared with Ukrainians</li>
 <li>Crypto.com will match the total amount in donations, up to $1 million</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



The crypto company that has been aggressively pushing its brand into the mainstream over the past year is now set to run an advertisement during the Oscars, Blockworks has learned.&nbsp;



Crypto.com has created a television commercial to raise funds for people affected by the crisis in Ukraine. It will air multiple times during the live broadcast of the 94th Academy Awards on Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET.



Ukraine last week <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/ukraines-president-zelensky-signs-legal-framework-for-crypto/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clarified crypto’s legal status</a> with a new law signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukraine’s “On Virtual Assets” law came as <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/donations-of-crypto-assets-to-ukraine-reach-19m/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crypto donations</a> have continued to flow into the country following Russia’s military invasion on Feb. 24.



Crypto.com CEO Kris Marszalek said in <a href="https://twitter.com/kris/status/1497422311498027009" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a Feb. 25 Twitter post</a> that the company had donated $1 million to <a href="https://www.ifrc.org/international-red-cross-and-red-crescent-movement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Red Cross Red Crescent</a>. 



“Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and innocent bystanders in the ongoing conflict,” he tweeted at the time. “We urge our community to do what they can to support humanitarian efforts.”



As Russia’s attack on Ukraine has escalated, Crypto.com now seeks to raise more funds and awareness to support the organization’s work. Donations will be used to provide food, water, medicine, shelter and other essential items for people in the country.



Viewers of the ad will be directed to <a href="https://crypto.com/donate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the campaign page</a>, where they can donate with crypto, fiat, or by buying an NFT from the campaign collection.&nbsp;



<a href="https://crypto.com/nft/drops-event/48e2851dc9933a736d2c6b83cce57195" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The NFT collection</a>, called “The Art of Giving,” features artwork by Crypto.com and 33 independent artists. There are 40 NFTs in total being sold for between $50 and $100.&nbsp;



The campaign runs from March 25 to March 31. Crypto.com will match the total amount in donations, up to $1 million.&nbsp;



The efforts come as Crypto.com’s brand has become more visible in recent months. Founded in 2016, <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/crypto-com-cmo-on-how-company-went-from-app-to-global-brand/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the company has grown</a> to having more than 10 million customers amid its aggressive marketing spend. 



Crypto.com bought the naming rights to the Staples Center in Los Angeles last November, as part of a 20-year, $700 million deal, and ran an ad <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/super-bowl-ads-spark-public-interest-coinbase-site-crashes-from-traffic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">during the Super Bowl</a> in February that starred four-time NBA champion LeBron James.



The company <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/crypto-com-adds-fifa-world-cup-sponsorship-to-sports-marketing-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced earlier this week</a> that it would be a sponsor for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in Qatar in November and December.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/the-breakdown">The Breakdown</a>: Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily.</li>



<li><a href="https://blockworks.co/newsletter/0xresearch">0xResearch</a>: Alpha in your inbox. Think like an analyst. </li>
</ul>

Oscars

Newsletter

Blockworks Research