On-chain analytics firm Chainalysis examined crypto activity surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, analyzing prediction markets, NFTs, and blockchain transactions linked to the tournament. The report shows how the world’s biggest football event affected blockchain usage throughout the tournament. The total volume of on-chain transactions linked to the World Cup reached $20B.
Prediction Markets
Interest in prediction markets began to build as early as January. After the opening match, daily transaction volume climbed to nearly $250M. On the day of the final, it surpassed $300M. Over the five weeks of the tournament, users placed more than $5.7B in prediction bets, accounting for around 63% of the combined trading volume across these platforms. Of the 400,000 wallets that participated, more than half finished the tournament with a profit.
NFTs
During the tournament, FIFA used NFTs for more than just digital collectibles. FIFA Collect holders received the right to purchase match tickets and, if needed, could transfer that right on the secondary market. More than 100,000 fans gained access to matches through this system.
According to Chainalysis, transaction volume on FIFA Collect exceeded $24M from May 2025 through the end of the tournament. Analysts attributed the minimal share of funds from suspicious sources to mandatory user identity verification and checks on the origin of funds.
Global Activity and Sources of Funds
Less than 1% of the wallets participating in prediction markets had previously interacted with illicit services. Analysts estimated that approximately $5.4M came from sanctioned sources.
Researchers observed the highest level of activity in the United States and China. Canada, Thailand, and the United Kingdom were also among the largest markets.