Tether Seeks Juventus Board Seat After €128M Stake, Faces Pushback from Exor
June 2025 – In a move that could reshape the future of European football ownership, Tether, the company behind the world’s most traded stablecoin USDT, is pushing for a board seat at Juventus Football Club. This follows Tether’s landmark €128 million ($149 million) investment, which made it the second-largest shareholder of the legendary Italian team.
The strategic stake was acquired on Valentine’s Day 2025, marking the first time a major European football club has welcomed a crypto company as a top investor.
Tether vs Exor: Crypto Challenges Traditional Football Leadership
Juventus, controlled by Exor, the holding company of the Agnelli family, has been under their leadership for nearly a century. Exor retains a 65.4% majority ownership of the club.
However, recent internal tensions have surfaced.
According to Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, the company has faced communication breakdowns with Juventus and Exor, claiming that despite repeated outreach, their efforts to engage in strategic discussions have been ignored.
“We just want to help the club succeed,” said Ardoino. “Before taking any other step, it would be nice to try to find a way to meet on common ground.”
Tether Eyes Influence Amid Juventus Financial Struggles
Tether’s investment equals a 10.7% ownership stake, and the company believes it deserves a seat at the table. Juventus is currently projected to report an €18 million financial loss, and the club is exploring a capital raise between €15 million to €100 million to fund operations and potential player acquisitions.
Exor has pledged €15 million to maintain control but appears resistant to Tether's growing influence.
With $13 billion in profits and a $150 billion portfolio—including $115 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds—Tether is financially positioned to contribute further. Yet, the company is frustrated at being excluded from critical financial and governance decisions.
A Vision to Modernize Juventus with Blockchain and AI
Beyond financial involvement, Tether’s long-term vision includes using blockchain technology and artificial intelligence to modernize Juventus operations. Ardoino, a lifelong Juventus supporter, believes the club needs innovation to keep pace with modern football.
He claims Italian football remains too rooted in outdated practices, hindering necessary transformation.
Crypto Meets Football: The Bigger Picture
Tether’s Juventus investment isn’t just about sports. It reflects the company’s broader ambition to expand beyond crypto, with active investments in agriculture, media, biotech, and brain-computer interfaces.
The clash at Juventus may signal a larger confrontation between traditional sports ownership models and tech-driven, decentralized investors looking to reshape global industries.
What’s Next?
Juventus is expected to hold a shareholder meeting following the FIFA Club World Cup in July 2025. Exor will decide on Tether’s requests during or after this meeting.
Until then, Tether remains firm in its demand for recognition and collaboration, signaling that the battle between legacy governance and crypto innovation is just beginning.