The football legend Ronaldinho, who is known the world over for his dazzling skills on the field, has entered the world of cryptocurrency with the launch of his own token, $STAR10 , on the Binance Smart Chain. The token, which is not related in any way to the symbol of the stars that adorn Ronaldinho’s name, has quickly gained attention. It boasts an impressive market cap of $238 million. In the big picture, however, this may not be quite so impressive. The token is a kind of digital collectible or, in more serious lingo, a utility token. Kind of. What it really is, is a meme coin. However, is it a legitimate meme coin? That may be under question now, and for good reason. Ronaldinho @10Ronaldinho has launched his own token, $STAR10, on the BNB Chain, with a market cap of $238M! The football legend has previously spoken highly of Binance founder @cz_binance . However, it's important to note that memecoins carry significant risks—proceed with… https://t.co/lTZs9Mu0q5 pic.twitter.com/Wlsn5oqZ57 — Followin (@followin_io) March 3, 2025 A Football Legend Entering the Crypto Space The introduction of $STAR10 represents an audacious undertaking by the Brazilian football star who has seen and taken numerous ventures since hanging up his boots. A collaboration with Binance—to the tune of an exciting new token, no less—has amplified the buzz surrounding it. Add to that the coupling with BSC (Binance Smart Chain), one of the hottest parts of the Binance ecosystem, and the opportunity for Ronaldinho to score a crypto coup is writ large. The token’s market cap has surged to $238 million, and it has quickly made a name for itself in the meme coin sector—an area of the cryptocurrency market often associated with high risk and volatility. While many speculate about the potential of $STAR10, it is crucial for would-be investors to understand the inherent dangers of going long on anything in the meme coin space. Quite frankly, the meme coin market has long been an easy target for regulatory authorities concerned about consumer protection. That is because many tokens serve no actual purpose and are propped up only by communities of miners, who endlessly churn out new coins, and community members who hope to cash in on their token’s rapid ascent. Controversy Surrounding Ronaldinho’s Alleged Business Deal Nonetheless, the exhilarating buzz associated with $STAR10 is being dampened by a grave allegation connected to Ronaldinho’s recent business activities. X user @R10coin_ has reported that Ronaldinho has entered into a questionable partnership with a Shenzhen company that specializes in issuing tokens, many of which are being deemed outright scams. In May 2024, negotiations began with Ronaldinho to launch a project in the world of cryptocurrency. By January 2025, an agreement was reached whereby the X user and his team were to work with the legendary football player on this crypto project. The agreement was worth $6 million, with the first half of that figure paid up front. Collaboration between the guys and Ronaldinho was now firmly established. But almost immediately after that, a wrench was thrown into the works. Another deal was discovered involving Ronaldinho and a different company—this one worth $10 million. The company based in Shenzhen is said to have used aggressive and deceptive marketing to promote meme coins with no real value. It has been reported to issue several fake virtual currency projects each month, sinking its teeth into the ‘quick harvest’ strategy many cryptocurrency companies are now using. This involve a very sharp increase in the price of tokens, really artificially jinned up prices of tokens, and then a very rapid sell-off, where they dump their tokens back onto the market. The Sale of Ronaldinho’s X Account: A Strategic Move with Questionable Ethics An even more controversial move, Ronaldinho allegedly sold his X account to the Shenzhen company for $5 million, reportedly to promote their token. The account’s sale, combined with his active promotion of the cryptocurrency, has led to accusations of him using his brand for personal profit, to the detriment of investors. The deal has sparked outrage from @R10coin_ and others involved in the initial token project, who feel Ronaldinho’s actions have burned them. @R10coin_ has given Ronaldinho a severe condemning for his decision to breach the original agreements. The tweet seems to suggest (if I’m interpreting it correctly) that Ronaldinho did this without the consent or communication of his original partners. Although there’s a whole lot of speculation going on, the gist of it seems to be that Ronaldinho’s actions may have led to a scam, with lots of funds flowing out of an operation that was supposedly under contract to @R10coin_, and into the bank accounts of a lot of people who were really good at running away with money. Community Report: Ronaldinho Sold His X Account for $5 Million to a Shenzhen "Token Issuing" Team According to X user @R10coin_ , "Ronaldinho ( @10Ronaldinho ) collaborated with a Chinese (Shenzhen) team to issue tokens and scam investors. In May 2024, @R10coin_ began formal… https://t.co/lTZs9Mu0q5 — Followin (@followin_io) March 3, 2025 What This Means for $STAR10 and Its Investors Concerns about the long-term viability of the $STAR10 token have been raised by the disclosures about Ronaldinho’s business dealings. For the many investors who find the prospect of putting their money into a token supported by a football legend like Ronaldinho, these exciting times are now somewhat dampened by the appearance of these allegations. While the $STAR10 token may still have some potential, if you ask me, what it has going for it too is its association with Ronaldinho. And if the formation of this association was as questionable as these reports now suggest, it may be high time to rethink these tokens. Investing in them may now seem to be endorsing a fraudulent pyramid scheme. Meme coins are notoriously random, and projects like $STAR10 are no different. As with other tokens in this space, prices can skyrocket and then just as quickly plunge when the underlining fundamentals are found to be wanting. Investors might consider doing the opposite of what the project’s celebrity backer is doing and be especially wary of tossing around too much faith toward a project that lacks (as the economist John Kenneth Galbraith might say) “courage, clarity, and conviction,” or has been connected to such things as an apparent top-up for an ailing concert venue. As the situation develops, $STAR10’s investors need to stay alert. The token’s early success might suggest there is some growth potential, but the persistent controversy surrounding it could very well erode that nascent investor confidence. Tokens associated with meme coins and celebrity-driven projects tend to be precarious; it’s not clear yet whether $STAR10 will prove to be a safe harbor, or whether it will run aground on some of the same rocky shoals that have claimed several similar ventures. Ultimately, investors face a high-risk proposition with Ronaldinho’s $STAR10 token, and recent allegations against him have only heightened that risk. Caution is always warranted in the world of cryptocurrency, and especially so when considering tokens tied to celebrities. Ronaldinho’s in particular may be less an investment opportunity and more a test of faith in his alleged character. Disclosure: This is not trading or investment advice. Always do your research before buying any cryptocurrency or using any service. Follow us on Twitter @nulltxnews to stay updated with the latest Crypto, NFT, AI, and Metaverse news! Image Source: sergeybitos/ 123RF
