Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
January 28, 2026

Datavault AI & Sports Illustrated Partner on Athlete Digital Asset Exchange

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TLDR

  • Datavault AI's collaboration with Sports Illustrated offers early access to compliant NIL tokenization, giving investors and brands a competitive edge in the emerging digital asset market.
  • Datavault AI will develop a platform using its quantum-secure technology stack, including Data Vault and smart contracts, to enable secure tokenization and trading of athlete NIL assets.
  • This initiative creates new monetization opportunities for athletes while promoting responsible AI and regulatory compliance, potentially improving fairness in sports endorsement markets.
  • Datavault AI is exploring a digital asset exchange with Sports Illustrated that could let fans invest in their favorite athletes' name, image, and likeness rights.

Impact - Why it Matters

This collaboration matters because it represents a significant evolution in how athletes can monetize their personal brands through emerging digital technologies. As name, image, and likeness rights become increasingly valuable in the sports industry, this platform could democratize access to endorsement opportunities and create new revenue streams for athletes at all levels. For investors and brands, it offers a regulated, transparent way to participate in the growing sports digital asset market. The integration of quantum-secure technology and Nasdaq-compatible infrastructure addresses critical concerns about security and regulatory compliance in the digital asset space. This initiative could accelerate mainstream adoption of tokenization technologies while creating new economic opportunities in the multi-billion dollar sports endorsement industry.

Summary

Datavault AI, a Nasdaq-listed technology company specializing in data monetization and real-world asset tokenization, has announced a significant exploratory agreement with iconic sports media brand Sports Illustrated. The collaboration aims to develop a digital asset exchange specifically focused on monetizing athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights. This platform would leverage Datavault AI's proprietary quantum-secure technology stack, including its patented Data Vault, DataScore, and DataValue AI agents, smart contracts, and the Nasdaq Financial Framework-compatible Information Data Exchange. The initiative targets a potential commercial launch in the second half of 2026, capitalizing on growing regulatory clarity in the U.S. digital asset market and expanding global sports endorsement opportunities.

The company's technology suite represents a comprehensive approach to Web 3.0 asset management, combining its Acoustic Science Division's wireless audio technologies with its Data Science Division's capabilities in experiential data perception, valuation, and secure monetization. Datavault AI's cloud-based platform serves multiple industries including sports & entertainment, biotech, education, fintech, and healthcare, with its Information Data Exchange enabling the creation of Digital Twins and secure licensing of NIL assets by attaching physical objects to immutable metadata. This collaboration with Sports Illustrated positions Datavault AI at the intersection of sports, technology, and finance, offering athletes, brands, agencies, and investors compliant, scalable solutions for tokenizing and trading valuable NIL assets in an increasingly digital economy.

For those interested in the complete details, the full press release is available through the InvestorBrandNetwork, which provides comprehensive coverage of corporate developments. The forward-looking nature of this announcement acknowledges the inherent risks and uncertainties in such technological ventures, as detailed in the company's SEC filings and disclaimers. This partnership represents a strategic move by both organizations to establish leadership in the emerging space of athlete digital asset monetization, potentially transforming how sports personalities manage and profit from their personal brands in the digital age.

Source Statement

This curated news summary relied on content disributed by NewMediaWire. Read the original source here, Datavault AI & Sports Illustrated Partner on Athlete Digital Asset Exchange

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