After almost two years of persisting request, popular American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League (NFL), Russell Okung has finally received half of his $13 million worth of salary in Bitcoin.
Okung is recognized for his unwavering stance and confidence in Bitcoin. Over the years, he has been a steadfast advocate for Bitcoin. Due to Okung’s commitment to boost the adoption of cryptocurrencies, he has been consistently pleading to receive his payment in crypto since May 2019.
Interestingly, the 32-year-old football star took to Twitter to announce the wish which had finally come true, saying that he was “paid in Bitcoin”. Thus, Okung has emerged as the first footballer to receive his salary in Bitcoin.
An Initial Agreement With The Panthers Made it Possible
Per the report, Okung had initially entered an agreement with the Panthers. The deal is on the condition that the Panthers will pay half of Okung’s salary through Zap’s powered app, Strike. An application developed to make the conversion of paychecks payment into Bitcoin possible.
Therefore, the panthers did not directly make the payment in Bitcoin but paid it through Zap, a third-party, which made it possible for Okung to receive his money in Bitcoin. It is the football club’s custom to pay their players in US dollars; hence, Zap’s intervention was necessary.
It has been the goal of Okung to free himself from the holds of fiat. This appears as a step to achieve his aim. In delight, the pro athlete confidently commented on his big move, thus stating the necessity of being paid in Bitcoin.
“Money is more than currency; it’s power. The way money is handled from creation to dissemination is part of that power. Getting paid in bitcoin is the first step of opting out of the corrupt, manipulated economy we all inhabit,” he said.
