Bitcoin has had a stellar year and passed a significant milestone with the first NFL player being paid with the cryptocurrency.

While there are a number of cryptocurrencies available, Bitcoin is easily the most well-known and recognized. The currency has been on a run, sitting at $27,500+ at the time of writing.

The currency has now achieved another major milestone, being used to pay a sizable portion of Carolina Panthers left tackle Russell Okung’s $13 million salary. Okung teamed up with Strike, the mobile payments company, to make this a reality.

“Money is more than currency; it’s power,” said Okung. “The way money is handled from creation to dissemination is part of that power. Getting paid in Bitcoin is the first step of opting out of the corrupt, manipulated economy we all inhabit. Bitcoiners are not only disrupting the status quo, we are reclaiming power that is rightly ours. PAY ME IN BITCOIN today becomes a reality thanks to Strike and the Panthers front office. This is the acknowledgement of a new way, a new path and a new future that recognizes diversity in finance and a reclamation of true financial control.”

“Strike users can easily spend wherever bitcoin is accepted and with the launch of our bitcoin payday product everyone has a simple way to get paid in bitcoin” announced Jack Mallers, founder and CEO of Strike. “Today anyone can sign up for early access at payday.strike.me.” With no fees, and features like cashback, Strike offers the cheapest way to buy, spend, and send Bitcoin. Strike is the first app that lets your bank account interact with the world’s first natively digital asset class and payday is the first of many products launching in 2021.”

With the precedent set, it’s likely other professional athletes may follow suit.