BTCC, billing itself as the world's longest-serving cryptocurrency exchange, threw its support behind a charity golf tournament that brought together the construction industry and football royalty last month.

The Poland-based crypto platform sponsored the Red Eagle Foundation's South-East Construction Cup Heat 1, held March 26th at the London Golf Club. The event featured Les Ferdinand MBE, the former England international striker who scored 149 goals across spells with QPR, Newcastle United, and Tottenham during a storied career in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The Red Eagle Foundation focuses on charitable work, though the specific beneficiaries of this particular tournament were not disclosed in the announcement. The South-East Construction Cup appears to target professionals in the building and development sectors, using golf as a networking and fundraising vehicle.

BTCC's involvement marks another step in cryptocurrency companies' ongoing efforts to build mainstream credibility through sports and charity sponsorships. The exchange, founded in 2011 as BTC China before rebranding, has weathered numerous crypto winters and regulatory crackdowns—particularly in its original Chinese market, which banned cryptocurrency trading in 2017.

The company now operates from Lodz, Poland, serving international markets while navigating an increasingly complex regulatory landscape for digital assets. Sponsoring charity events offers crypto firms a softer public profile amid persistent scrutiny from regulators and skepticism from traditional finance.

For Ferdinand, now 59, the appearance continues his post-playing career in public roles. He currently serves as director of football at Queens Park Rangers, where he began his professional career in 1987.

The London Golf Club, located in Kent, has hosted numerous high-profile tournaments and regularly features on lists of Britain's top golf courses, making it a fitting venue for a charity event seeking to attract deep-pocketed donors from the construction world.