Tether (USDT) has submitted a binding proposal to acquire Exor’s majority stake in Juventus Football Club, a move that would place one of the world’s most systemically important crypto companies at the center of European sport and under heightened scrutiny from regulators evaluating whether a stablecoin issuer can responsibly own a major public institution.
What Happened
The offer, funded with Tether’s own capital, covers Exor’s 65.4% stake and would trigger a mandatory tender offer for the remaining shares at the same price, pending regulatory approval.
Tether says it would commit an additional €1 billion to support the club if the acquisition goes through.
If completed, the transaction would represent one of the most high-profile crossovers between crypto finance and traditional sports ownership.
But it also raises immediate questions about oversight, transparency requirements, and the suitability of a stablecoin operator, responsible for a token that underpins much of global crypto liquidity, stepping into ownership of a publicly traded Serie A club.
Regulators would be expected to examine the deal closely given Tether’s scale, its reserves-management role in crypto markets, and the increasing focus on stablecoin governance across both the EU and global financial bodies.
The acquisition would subject Tether to new layers of sports-sector compliance, media-rights governance, and financial fair-play rules that differ materially from digital-asset regulation.
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Juventus, one of Italy’s best-known clubs, has experienced ownership changes, financial challenges, and regulatory investigations in recent years, factors that could further complicate approval processes.
A crypto firm acquiring a legacy sports institution would be a first for European football, setting a precedent that other digital-asset companies may watch closely.
Why It Matters
While Tether frames the deal as a long-term commitment to the club’s development, the broader significance lies in what the attempt signals, that is, stablecoin issuers are seeking to extend their influence beyond financial markets, and regulators now face a decision that will help define the boundaries of crypto-industry expansion into mainstream institutions.
Until authorities review and respond to the proposal, the bid remains a high-stakes test of whether a firm at the core of global crypto liquidity can meet the governance expectations required in European professional sports.