In a move that would have seen one of Europe’s most decorated football clubs transition to crypto-focused ownership, the holding company of Juventus FC, Exor N.V., has formally rejected a multibillion-euro buyout offer from cryptocurrency stablecoin issuer Tether.
The offer, rumoured to value the Turin club at approximately €3.5 billion, was delivered to Exor, the investment vehicle of the Agnelli family, late last week.
However, Exor swiftly confirmed its strategic commitment to the club, signalling that Juventus is not for sale despite the staggering valuation and Tether’s proposal for radical digital transformation.
Tether, the company behind the USDT stablecoin, has been a significant player in sports sponsorship, notably holding naming rights and fan partnerships.
Sources close to the negotiation indicated that the rejected bid was far more than a simple financial transaction.
Tether’s plan included tokenised equity, a long-term strategy to tokenise minority shares, offering fans and investors fractional ownership linked to the USDT ecosystem, digital stadium integration, utilising blockchain technology for ticketing, fan loyalty programmes, and in-stadium commerce, and decentralised fan governance by incorporating Web3 tools to give token holders a voice in non-sporting club decisions.
