Crypto Twitter Reacts to FTX, Coinbase and Other Bitcoin Ads at the Super Bowl

Last night, the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals to become Super Bowl LVI Champions.

Off the field, many crypto companies—Coinbase, FTX and Crypto.com among them—made their Super Bowl commercial debuts in what quickly became dubbed the “Crypto Bowl.” 

Of course, crypto sports marketing isn’t new—looking at you, Matt Damon—but never before has the industry been thrust so forcefully into the eyes of so many.

Twitter reacted accordingly.

So, who scanned that QR code? 

Coinbase was one of the most talked about crypto companies during the game, yet the crypto exchange’s commercial was one of the simplest to ever hit Super Bowl airwaves.

The ad featured a QR code bouncing around the screen for a whole minute. Those who scanned it were taken to Coinbase’s website and offered $15 in free Bitcoin if they signed up as a new customer.  

As with most things on Twitter, Coinbase’s commercial was applauded, ridiculed, and everything in between. 

“Coinbase really paid millions for a commercial on a QR code,” said one, two, three, and many other Super Bowl fans. Harvard professor Juliette Kayyem said, “raise your hand if a QR code flashed around your tv for around a minute or so and the idea to scan it not once crossed your mind.”

Making matters worse, Coinbase’s website briefly crashed—apparently enough people’s curiosity got the better of them.