WisdomTree Enters Private Markets with $275m Ceres Partners Acquisition

WisdomTree has acquired Ceres Partners in a $275m all-cash deal, entering the private markets with 545 farmland properties across 12 US states. The acquisition adds $1.9bn to WisdomTree's assets under management, with a strategy that has delivered an average of 10.3% per year since its inception in 2007. WisdomTree's CEO Jonathan Steinberg sees farmland as an underpenetrated real asset class with growth opportunities in areas such as solar and AI data infrastructure.

WisdomTree Inc. (NASDAQ: WT) has made a significant move into the private markets with the acquisition of Ceres Partners, a leading U.S. farmland investment manager. The deal, valued at $275 million in upfront cash, adds 545 farmland properties across 12 U.S. states to WisdomTree's assets under management (AUM), increasing its total AUM to $1.9 billion [1].

Ceres Partners, with approximately $1.85 billion in AUM, has delivered an average annual total return of 10.3% since its inception in 2007, outperforming farmland benchmarks. The acquisition is expected to accelerate WisdomTree's revenue growth and expand margins, with a potential earnout of up to $225 million contingent on achieving revenue growth targets [1].

Jonathan Steinberg, WisdomTree's Founder and CEO, commented on the acquisition, stating that farmland is an underpenetrated real asset class with growth opportunities in areas such as solar and AI data infrastructure. Perry Veith, Ceres' founder and CEO, added that the partnership brings product innovation, scale, and distribution capabilities to reach more investors seeking resilient, inflation-hedged, and income-generating real assets [1].

The acquisition involves managing a portfolio of 540 properties, which requires annual appraisals and could involve additional operational complexities. However, WisdomTree anticipates that the acquisition will be immediately accretive and offer long-term income growth potential [1].

WisdomTree's strong inflows across regions and asset classes have driven record AUM of $126 billion as of June 30, 2025. The company's European Defense Fund has attracted significant inflows, contributing to organic growth at an annualized rate of 12%. Additionally, AUM in digital assets more than doubled since last quarter, reaching $500 million [2].

The acquisition is subject to approvals, financing, and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in Q4 2025. WisdomTree's distribution capabilities are expected to help broaden Ceres' reach to financial intermediaries and high-net-worth clients, with management fee revenues doubling by 2030 and performance fees growing 1.5 to 2 times, driven by historical farmland appreciation rates [2].

References:
[1] https://www.ainvest.com/news/wisdomtree-q2-2025-earnings-call-highlights-ceres-partners-acquisition-record-aum-drive-growth-2508/
[2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wisdomtree-inc-wt-q2-2025-071547291.html