Tether Seeks Juventus Board Seat After €128 Million Investment

Tether, the second-largest shareholder of the renowned Italian football club Juventus, has made a significant move by seeking a position on the club’s board. The firm acquired stakes worth approximately €128 million on Valentine’s Day of 2025, marking the first instance of a major European club having a crypto company as a top investor. This investment underscores Tether's growing interest in traditional finance and its willingness to invest in high-profile assets.

Exor, a company owned by the Agnelli family, has managed Juventus for nearly a century and holds 65.4% of the club. However, recent developments have been challenging. Four months after the acquisition, Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, expressed frustration that Juventus and Exor are barely communicating with them. Tether aims to purchase more shares and secure a seat on the club’s board to influence strategic decisions, but their requests have been largely ignored. Tether insists that their intention is to support the club’s success and has been attempting to set up meetings to discuss their involvement. Juventus plans to hold a meeting after the Club World Cup in July 2025, at which point Exor will decide on Tether's proposal.

Juventus is anticipating a loss of €18 million in its next financial report. To address this and fund new player acquisitions, the club is considering raising between €15 million and €100 million. Exor, which owns the majority of Juventus, has pledged €15 million and aims to maintain its majority control. Tether, with a $13 billion profit and a $150 billion portfolio, including $115 billion in US Treasury bonds, sees itself as a crucial investor after acquiring a 10.7% stake. However, Tether is displeased that Juventus and Exor are not including them in financial discussions.

Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO and a lifelong Juventus fan, envisions using artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain to modernize the club. He believes that Italian football is stuck in outdated practices. Tether’s investments in various fields, including farming, media, and brain implants, demonstrate the firm's ambition to expand beyond cryptocurrency. The tension between Juventus and Tether highlights a broader clash between traditional football management and new, tech-focused investors.

Tether’s acquisition of a significant stake in Juventus and its push for a board seat represent a notable development in the convergence of cryptocurrency and traditional finance. This move could set a precedent for other cryptocurrency companies looking to invest in traditional industries and gain influence in their governance structures. The potential for Tether to leverage its position at Juventus to drive innovation and adoption of digital currencies in the sports world is substantial. This investment by Tether underscores the growing influence of digital assets in various sectors and the increasing integration of cryptocurrency with traditional finance.