Lionel Messi's memorable transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, a day ago, is still the talk of the town in the world of football and it has now been revealed that the Argentine's move to the French side had a payment through cryptocurrency in fan tokens. This development is sure to boost the popularity of digital currencies in today's world. In a statement, PSG stated that the cryptocurrency fan tokens which were included in Messi's welcome package were provided by Socios.com, the French club's official fan token providers. However, details regarding the percentage of fan tokens in Messi's contract are yet to be revealed. Lionel Messi’s 'Thumbs Up' to Malayali Fans After Joining PSG in Paris is Going Viral (Watch Video)

The fans who own these tokens can participate in minor decision-making activities in the club. They can also be traded, just like any other digital currency. PSG also stated that news of Messi's arrival at the Parc des Princes led to fan tokens being traded at a very rapid rate. "The hype surrounding the latest signings in the club's busy summer transfer window created a huge surge of interest in $PSG Fan Tokens, with trading volumes exceeding $1.2 billion in the days preceding the move," the club said. Manchester City and AC Milan are the other clubs to have launched fan tokens.

Not just fan tokens, but also jerseys with Messi's name on the back got sold out pretty quickly after the Argentine joined the former French champions. Messi's sudden exit from Barcelona was announced a week ago after a reported breakdown in talks of a new contract at the Camp Nou. A tearful farewell followed for the Argentine and just a day ago, he was given a rousing welcome in Paris as he was unveiled as a new player for Mauricio Pochettino's side. Messi's transfer was PSG's fourth free signing of the summer.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2021 07:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).