One of the most recognizable celebrity couples in the world will grow the visibility of a major cryptocurrency exchange. 

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen struck a deal with FTX in which both the quarterback and supermodel will be brand ambassadors in exchange for an equity stake and unspecified amount of cryptocurrency. Bündchen will become FTX’s environmental and social initiatives adviser.

The pair had an estimated net worth of $570 million in January. Brady brought in $76 million in salary and endorsements over the last year, per Forbes.

FTX has leaned into sports partnerships to grow its brand.

• Last week, FTX became the official cryptocurrency partner of Major League Baseball and the first company to claim ad real estate on a patch worn by umpires.
• As of June, the Miami Heat play their home games in FTX Arena after linking up with the company on a 19-year, $135 million naming rights deal.
• Also in June, FTX struck a $210 million deal with esports organization TSM, renaming it TSM FTX. 

Brady signaled his support for Bitcoin on May 10 by changing his Twitter profile to a pic with lasers glowing from his eyes.

After the crypto coin dropped nearly 40% over the next six weeks, Brady tweeted: “Alright, the laser eyes didn’t work. Anyone have any ideas?”

Gympass is cruising past pandemic woes. 

In an already successful year, the largest corporate wellbeing platform announced a $220 million Series E funding round, valuing the startup at $2.2 billion.

With a worldwide network of more than 50,000 gyms and studios, Gympass wants to expand further.

“The additional funding will help us fuel further growth in the U.S., improve the product experience, and continue to expand into new categories,” said Cesar Carvalho, co-founder and CEO of Gympass.

Led by Softbank, the round comes as no surprise for those who have followed the company’s numbers.

• Gympass saw a record 4 million monthly visits in May
• Added over 1,000 new clients during the pandemic
• Recorded 3.5 million sessions with digital partners

Due to the pandemic, the overall fitness industry was expected to lose $7 billion in revenue as of July 2020.

In the same month, 59% of Americans said they would not renew their gym memberships due to cheaper alternatives, according to TD Ameritrade.

Gympass is defying the odds.

TOCA Football, a soccer-focused experiential company, raised $40 million in a Series E funding round that included VC firm and Topgolf lead investor WestRiver Group. 

TOCA has raised a total of $105 million with the latest round. It plans to open 12 new locations in the next year.

Founded in 2012, TOCA currently operates 14 locations in the U.S. and Canada that create an interactive soccer experience similar to what Topgolf does for golf.

TOCA has “shifted from a pure technology business to a technology and services business,” said CEO Yoshi Maruyama. 

• TOCA is opening a restaurant and bar next to London’s O2 Arena called “TOCA Social.”
• It acquired specialized children’s sports program Kids in Sports in 2020 for an undisclosed amount.
• Major League Soccer and college soccer teams have purchased its custom-designed ball machines.

TOCA’s current chairman is former Topgolf chair Erik Anderson. He joins soccer Hall of Famer Abby Wambach on the board.

Topgolf approved a merger with Callaway Golf in March. Callaway already owned a 14% stake in Topgolf after an early investment in 2006 and will pay $2.66 billion in stock to acquire the rest of the company.