Exodus Partners with UFC in Multi-Year Deal, Launches Self-Custody Money App

Exodus Movement (NYSE American: EXOD), the company behind the Exodus wallet, has announced a multi-year partnership with the UFC, becoming the official payments partner for the organization. The deal goes live on June 1, 2025, coinciding with the UFC’s historic 'Freedom 250' fight event on the White House lawn, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.

This marks the first UFC event ever held on the White House grounds. Exodus branding will appear prominently inside the octagon, in broadcast spots, and throughout the venue’s activation footprints.

“As the fans walk through the gates, you’re gonna see Exodus activation footprints everywhere at the White House.”

The partnership targets a crypto-curious, young, and digitally native demographic, aligning with Exodus’s decade-long focus on this audience.

Exodus Pay: A Self-Custody Money Platform

In a separate announcement, Ain Sonayen, Chief Product Officer of Exodus, declared the end of the traditional wallet category as Exodus defines it. Sonayen argued that a wallet is merely a starting point, not a destination, and that the era of wallets as the primary entry point for crypto—dating back to 2014—is over.

Exodus is repositioning as a money platform, or “money OS,” built around three core experiences:

• Stablecoin cash for everyday spending
• Crypto ownership for long-term value
• Expanded utility for advanced users

Exodus Pay is the first layer of this platform, launching now with availability across all 50 U.S. states. Global expansion is planned for 2026.

Users can fund the app via Apple Pay, bank transfers, or existing crypto balances. Spending is supported anywhere Visa is accepted, and peer-to-peer sends are free and instant, requiring only a phone number. Recipients who haven’t yet installed Exodus will receive funds upon signing up.

The self-custody feature is a key differentiator. Unlike competing payments products that hold user balances on their own balance sheets—risking account freezes—Exodus Pay keeps private keys on the user’s device. The company never takes custody of the funds. In a post-GENIUS Act regulatory environment, this architecture offers both compliance and competitive advantages.

Earlier this year, the stablecoin market surpassed $300 billion in circulation, underscoring the growing demand for secure, user-controlled financial tools.