Volodymyr Nosov transferred 500 WBT to Vladyslav Geraskevych: how WhiteBIT supports Ukrainian sports

A large-scale wave of support for skeleton athlete Vladislav Geraskevych has emerged in Ukraine after his performance at the 2026 Olympics. On February 12, the International Olympic Committee disqualified the athlete for wearing a “memory helmet” depicting more than twenty Ukrainian athletes who died during the Russian aggression. This decision caused a wide resonance in the international community and united state institutions, the creative sector and technology businesses around the idea of ​​supporting the athlete. As part of this initiative, the founder and CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange WhiteBIT, Volodymyr Nosov, presented Geraskevych with 500 WBT coins, equivalent to 1,088,000 hryvnias, emphasizing the importance of supporting the athlete.

The decision of the founder of WhiteBIT to financially support Geraskevych

Volodymyr Nosov’s initiative became part of the nationwide support for the athlete, which was manifested in public attention to his results. Commenting on his step, the founder of WhiteBIT noted:

“We Ukrainians ourselves award medals of the highest quality. And today Vladislav definitely deserved and receives this medal from us. The only thing left is a small one – a monetary reward for this victory to our Cossack.
I join and send 500 WBT (1,088,000 UAH), writing out a WB Check to our athlete.
Remembrance is not a violation (Pam’yat’ is not a violation, – ed.).”

In his post, Volodymyr Nosov emphasized that honoring the memory of fallen Ukrainian athletes and compatriots cannot be regarded as a violation of the rules, and called on society to evaluate the actions of Vladyslav Geraskevych with dignity and respect. According to him, this act of the athlete was a symbolic response to bureaucratic pressure from the International Olympic Committee, demonstrating that personal position and memory of the dead have weight even in international sports competitions.

WhiteBIT: position after a full-scale invasion

Crypto exchange WhiteBIT was founded in 2018 by Ukrainian Volodymyr Nosov and is one of the largest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges in Europe with Ukrainian roots. It serves about 8 million users who have accounts on the platform, buy cryptocurrency, use wallets and trade digital assets.

At the same time, WhiteBIT is part of the broader W Group ecosystem, which currently serves approximately 35 million people. This figure includes not only traders, but also users of other services of the holding, in particular Whitepay – a payment instrument for cryptocurrency payments in stores and for services, Whitechain – a platform for developers and users of applications on its own blockchain, as well as corporate clients and partners in various fintech solutions.

The platform is among the three most reliable cryptocurrency exchanges in the world according to CER.live with an AAA rating and has Cryptocurrency Security Standard certification at CCSS Level 3. Among the key characteristics, the company names compliance with KYC and AML standards, the development of its own ecosystem, which includes the decentralized WhiteSwap exchange and the Whitechain network, as well as cooperation with international partners, in particular Visa, Faceit, football clubs Barcelona and Juventus, and the Ukrainian National Football Team.

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has declared WhiteBit an “undesirable” organization due to its support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The department claims that the exchange and its affiliated structures within the W Group are actively providing financial assistance to the Ukrainian army. The Russian Federation stated that the WhiteBit management transferred about $11 million to Ukraine, of which $900,000 was directed to the purchase of drone complexes for the needs of the Ukrainian military.

Vladimir Nosov and the exchange team also organize assistance to the civilian population and participate in humanitarian and educational projects in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, WhiteBit has been coordinating its activities with state bodies to support the Armed Forces and the cultural sphere, thanks to which the crypto exchange has gained significant importance in ensuring the country’s critical needs.

WhiteBIT and sports: Nosov’s contribution to the development of Ukrainian athletes

Vladimir Nosov actively supports Ukrainian sports, combining business and social responsibility. His actions cover several areas – from partnerships with sports teams to direct participation in club management and the development of youth programs. WhiteBIT has become the title partner of the Ukrainian National Football Team, providing the team with both material support and digital tools for organizing training, interacting with fans, and participating in international competitions.

In addition, Nosov is an investor in the Ukrainian football club Metalist 1925, taking responsibility for stabilizing the club and developing its infrastructure. Under his leadership, the club is actively developing a youth academy, supporting the women’s team, and working to popularize football in the region, investing resources not only in sports activities, but also in social initiatives.

In WhiteBIT’s activities for sports, the integration of digital technologies occupies a special place. The crypto exchange provides the opportunity to use its own payment solutions at sporting events, which allows organizers and fans to effectively interact in financial and communication aspects.

In addition to football, the company and its founder are active in supporting other sports, in particular tennis and Olympic disciplines, providing training programs, infrastructure support and funding to prepare athletes for international competitions.

Volodymyr Nosov explained that the support of Vladyslav Geraskevych is an incentive for the athlete to continue performing on the international stage. He emphasized that he watched Geraskevych give his all on the track and at the same time defend the interests of Ukraine abroad. The assistance to the athlete is aimed at providing conditions for the athlete’s preparation for future competitions and his sports career. Such actions should show other Ukrainian athletes that their achievements and active position find real support in the business environment.