Circle, the USDC stablecoin issuer, posted a photo of DJ Khaled wearing a Chelsea FC jersey bearing the USDC logo on October 5, 2026, triggering widespread backlash on X as users recalled the rapper’s 2018 settlement with the SEC for promoting Centra Tech’s fraudulent ICO without disclosure, resolving the matter for approximately 153,000 dollars. While Circle did not announce a formal sponsorship deal with Khaled, its message welcoming him to team USDC was widely interpreted as an endorsement. USDC holds roughly 25 percent of the stablecoin market with a market capitalization of about 74 billion dollars. No direct regulatory consequences stem from this episode for Circle, but it highlights the crypto community’s continued sensitivity toward celebrity endorsements following the ICO era.
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