USC Recruit Matai Tagoa'i Signs Historic Bitcoin NIL Deal

Matai Tagoa'i, a standout college football player, made history this week by becoming one of the first high school athletes to secure NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) compensation in Bitcoin.

Tagoa'i, a four-star linebacker prospect, has signed a deal with the University of Southern California (USC), where he is expected to play for the Trojans in 2025. According to a press release, his groundbreaking NIL agreement includes receiving a portion of his compensation in Bitcoin through a collaboration with the global Bitcoin app Strike.

The deal marks a historic step in integrating cryptocurrency into college sports contracts, highlighting the increasing adoption of digital assets. It could also help push college athletics into the modern era of financial innovation, as more athletes and universities consider cryptocurrency as a legitimate form of compensation.

“This is a game-changer for me,” Tagoa’i said in the press release. “By taking part of my NIL earnings in Bitcoin, I’m setting myself up for long-term financial growth.”

Tagoa’i added that he’s grateful to Strike, House of Victory, and 3point0 Labs for helping him to take this step. “I’m proud to be part of this innovative collaboration that’s redefining the future of college athletics and finance and hope to set an example for other young athletes to think about their financial future,” he said.

Vijay Pravin, the founder and CEO of bitsCrunch, told The Defiant that college football stars embracing Bitcoin reflects younger generations’ growing interest in digital assets. He noted that this will contribute to more tech-savvy demographics exploring the benefits of decentralized finance (DeFi).

“By accepting Bitcoin, these highly influential athletes can drive crypto adoption among the youth of today, and could spur sponsorship opportunities with Web3 brands,” Pravin said. “This highlights Bitcoin’s increasing integration into mainstream finance, which has rapidly accelerated following Donald Trump’s election win.”

A growing sports trend

Tagoa’i joins a select group of football players who have received compensation in Bitcoin, including Aaron Rodgers, Russell Okung, Odell Beckham Jr., and Trevor Lawrence.

In the NBA, a few players, including Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala, have chosen to receive part of their compensation in Bitcoin. And in baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani, also known as "Shotime," has disclosed that he takes a portion of his salary in Bitcoin.

While the exact value of Tagoa'i's contract has not been disclosed, similar NIL deals have been valued at as high as $6 million, according to On3 NIL Valuation data.