Vici Gaming knocked out Team Falcons in the Esports World Cup 2026 Dota 2 semifinals on July 17, and the result is generating buzz on two fronts. One is competitive: Chinese Dota 2 might actually be back. The other is financial: the tournament where it happened is now bankrolled, in part, by crypto exchanges.

The EWC 2026, running July 7 through July 19 in Paris, features a $2 million prize pool for its Dota 2 segment. That sits inside a much larger $75 million total pot spread across multiple esports titles.

Crypto walks through the front door of esports

Coinbase and Bitget are the first crypto sponsors in EWC history. Updated French regulations now allow licensed digital asset firms to sponsor esports events….