Agnelli Family Shuts Down Tether’s Billion-Dollar Bid for Juventus

Stablecoin issuer Tether moved quickly and boldly into European football with a massive offer for Juventus. The Agnelli family, through its holding company Exor, responded within 24 hours and made its position clear. 

The family refused to sell any part of the club and reaffirmed its long-standing control over Juventus.

Exor Draws a Firm Line on Ownership

Exor acted immediately after Tether revealed its all-cash proposal to buy Juventus. The holding company confirmed that it intended to keep every share it owns in Juventus and would not open talks with any third party. 

Exor currently holds a 65.4% controlling stake in Juventus. That position gives the family decisive authority over the club’s future, regardless of outside interest or price. 

Tether structured its bid as a binding cash offer and priced it at 2.66 euros per share. The offer placed a premium of about 21% above Juventus’s market price at the time. Based on this proposal, the deal valued the club at roughly 1.1 billion euros, equivalent to $3 billion. 

Tether also planned a major follow-on investment. The company is prepared to commit an extra 1 billion euros to strengthen the club. This is to improve infrastructure and support the football club’s long-term growth. These plans never reached negotiation because Exor closed the door immediately.

The Tether Growing Interest in Juventus

Tether did not approach Juventus as a stranger. The company began buying shares earlier in the year and built its stake steadily. By April, Tether owned more than 10% of the club. 

The company also supported the appointment of Francesco Garino to the Juventus board, where he took a seat in November. Through this move, Tether sought to link its global brand with top-tier football. 

It also aimed to explore new ways finance and technology could work with elite sports. The failed bid showed the limits of that ambition when it met entrenched family ownership.

Meanwhile, Juventus has struggled with financial pressure for years. Over the past seven years, the club has required more than 1 billion euros in capital injections to stay competitive and stable. Despite these challenges, the Agnelli family has refused to dilute its control. 

A Broader Push Beyond Stablecoins

The rejected offer highlighted a wider strategy at Tether. The company has pushed far beyond its stablecoin roots and deployed capital across multiple sectors. 

During the first nine months of 2025, Tether reported net profits above $10 billion. It used that financial strength to invest in sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and Bitcoin mining.

Shortly after the Juventus bid, Tether joined a 70 million euro funding round for an Italian humanoid robotics startup called Generative Bionics. The company has continued to seek long-term assets and high-visibility projects that extend its reach outside digital finance.