Tether submitted a binding €1.1 billion cash offer to acquire Italian football powerhouse Juventus. This marks crypto’s most aggressive push into traditional sports ownership yet.
The proposal targets Exor’s 65.4% controlling stake in the Turin-based club. If Exor accepts, Tether will launch a public tender for the remaining shares at €2.66 per share. That’s the same price across the board, whether you’re a major shareholder or hold just a handful of shares.
But here’s the kicker: Tether’s not stopping at ownership. The company pledged an additional €1 billion investment into the club’s development if the Tether Juventus acquisition succeeds.
The Numbers Behind the Deal
Juventus currently trades with a market cap hovering around €775 million. Tether’s offer represents a substantial premium over that valuation. The announcement sent Juventus shares climbing. The club’s market value shot up near the €1 billion mark.
Tether bought its first shares in February 2025. By April, the company held more than 10%. Today, Tether controls 11.5% and sits as Juventus’s second-biggest investor. In November, Tether joined Exor in pumping €97.8 million into the club to chip away at its debt pile.
The proposed acquisition would hand Tether the keys to one of Europe’s most recognized football brands. We’re talking about a club with more than 500 million fans scattered across continents. That’s not just a football team, that’s a global marketing juggernaut waiting to be tapped.
Why Tether Wants Juventus
Paolo Ardoino runs Tether. He’s also a lifelong Juventus fan. Growing up in northern Italy, he watched every match he could. This deal has business logic, sure. But for Ardoino, there’s something personal here too.
“Juventus has always been part of my life,” he said. “I learned what commitment, resilience, and responsibility meant by watching this team face success and adversity with dignity.”
The business case looks solid enough on its own. Tether pulled in over $10 billion in net profits during the first nine months of 2025. USDT, their flagship stablecoin, controls $188 billion in market cap. They dominate the stablecoin game.
Lately, Tether’s been branching out fast. AI investments. Renewable energy projects. Now sports. The company sits on 116 tons of gold and funds Bitcoin mining operations across Latin America. Getting Juventus puts Tether in front of millions during every Champions League broadcast. Picture USDT logos on jerseys. Fans buying tickets with stablecoins. The integration possibilities run deep.
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The Agnelli Family Problem
Here’s where this gets tricky. The Agnelli family has run Juventus through Exor for more than a hundred years. This club isn’t some portfolio asset they’re ready to flip. It’s woven into their family legacy.
AFP reported that someone close to Exor said flat out, “Juventus is not for sale.” Family pride could kill this deal faster than any regulatory hurdle. No matter how much cash Tether waves around, you can’t buy tradition and heritage with a wire transfer.
Juventus means more to Italy than just football. The club represents national sporting pride. Handing control to a crypto company, even one run by an Italian, would shake Italian football culture hard.
Exor has 10 days to respond. The deadline’s approaching fast. Word on the street says the family bond with this club goes way beyond what any balance sheet shows.
What This Means for Crypto and Sports
Nobody’s pulled this off before. Crypto companies have sponsored teams. Binance backs Lazio. Crypto.com partnered with Ligue 1. But buying a major European club outright? That’s virgin territory. If this Tether Juventus acquisition happens, it rewrites the playbook.
Other clubs drowning in debt are definitely watching. Barcelona’s balance sheet looks grim. Manchester United faces similar pressure. A successful Tether deal opens the floodgates for crypto firms eyeing distressed football giants.
This move also shows where Tether’s headed. They’re not content being just another stablecoin issuer anymore. They want to be seen as diversified financial infrastructure players with real-world assets and influence.
Can Juventus Benefit?
Juventus badly needs financial relief. The club’s buried under €400 million-plus in debt from years of heavy spending and underwhelming results. Recent seasons haven’t delivered glory on the field or in the accounting department.
Tether’s €1 billion commitment could fix the money problems overnight. Those funds might rebuild the stadium. Sign better players. Develop youth academies properly.
There’s a flip side, though. Corporate ownership sometimes strips clubs of their identity. Fans worry when profit targets compete with winning trophies. Would Tether respect what Juventus stands for? Or would the club become just another business line in a sprawling portfolio?
Ardoino’s connection to Juventus might help avoid that trap. Passionate ownership counts for something. But loving a club doesn’t automatically mean you’ll manage it well.
The 10-Day Countdown
Exor needs to make a call within 10 days. They could reject outright. They could negotiate. Or they could surprise everyone and accept. Even if Exor says no, Tether might go directly after smaller shareholders. That path gets messy without majority backing, though.
Italian regulators would scrutinize any approved deal heavily. Juventus carries serious cultural weight in Italy. Approval could drag on for months even under ideal circumstances.
Other crypto players might interpret this as validation. Expect copycat attempts across European football if Tether pulls it off. The crypto industry desperately wants mainstream acceptance. Owning legendary sports brands delivers exactly that.
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How much is Tether offering for Juventus?
They’re putting €1.1 billion on the table for Exor’s 65.4% stake. Every remaining shareholder would get the same €2.66 per share price. Tether also promised another €1 billion for club investments after closing.
Why does Tether want to buy Juventus?
CEO Paolo Ardoino grew up loving the team. Beyond that personal angle, Juventus gives Tether massive global exposure. The company wants to expand past stablecoins into sports and media ownership.
Will the Agnelli family sell Juventus?
Early signals say no. Sources close to Exor claim the club’s not for sale at any price. The Agnellis have owned Juventus for over a century. They see it as a family legacy, not an investment to exit.
What would Tether’s ownership mean for Juventus fans?
Financial stability would improve fast with that €1 billion injection. But fans worry corporate ownership might shift priorities from winning to profit margins. The club’s identity could change under crypto ownership.
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