Tether’s attempt to take full control of Italian football giant Juventus FC has been rejected by its majority shareholder, Exor, the holding company controlled by the Agnelli family. The stablecoin issuer, which already owns a 10% stake in the club, had submitted an all-cash offer to acquire Exor’s 65.4% stake, valuing Juventus at approximately €1.1 billion.
The offer represented a 21% premium over market value, signaling Tether’s serious intent to expand its footprint into the global sports industry. However, Exor declined the bid, stating that the club’s current strategy and ownership structure remain aligned with its long-term goals.
The move by Tether was seen as an ambitious crossover of crypto into mainstream sports ownership, potentially opening pathways for integrating stablecoin payments, blockchain fan engagement platforms, and other digital innovations into one of Europe’s most historic football clubs.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has publicly expressed interest in bringing blockchain-based infrastructure into legacy institutions, and the Juventus bid was viewed as a landmark attempt to merge financial technology with sports brand equity.
Following the rejection, Juventus shares rose 14%, reflecting investor optimism about the club’s valuation and future prospects, while the Juventus Fan Token (JUV) fell sharply, dropping more than 13%, highlighting a gap in perception between traditional and crypto asset markets.
While the deal may be off for now, Tether’s push into real-world assets and sectors like sports, payments, and infrastructure continues to signal a broader strategy of embedding blockchain into global systems beyond finance.
