W Group goes all in on Esports

Type: Branding - fintech ecosystem launches its own professional esports team built on years of Counter-Strike community presence
Sport: Esports
Announced: July 2026

Global fintech ecosystem W Group launched WhiteBIT Team, its own professional esports organisation competing in Counter-Strike 2, marking a full transition from gaming product provider to competitive esports club.

• W Group's move into esports is built on genuine foundation rather than a logo play. Its white.market platform has been operating inside the Counter-Strike ecosystem for years - partnering with FACEIT, NAVI, and Maincast - and WhiteBIT Team is the natural next step from product provider to club owner.
• Even before the official launch, the team won the second stage of the 2026 Ukrainian Esports Championship and qualified for the European Pro League Series 8, which means this is a competitive organisation with early results to back the ambition.
• Volodymyr Nosov, Founder and President of W Group and WhiteBIT, said: "white.market has long been part of the Counter-Strike ecosystem. We have been following how the audience is evolving, how the industry is changing, and how much potential esports has. That is why the launch of WhiteBIT Team is a natural and logical step for W Group. We aim to build a strong esports infrastructure with a talent development system and new opportunities for the community."

• W Group brings a sport partnership track record that most esports organisations cannot match - existing relationships with FC Barcelona, Juventus, and the Ukraine national football team give the group a blueprint for building engaged communities around competitive teams. WhiteBIT Team is the esports application of that same model, with long-term ambitions to qualify for a Counter-Strike Major and establish itself among the world's leading professional organisations.

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