Tether Raises Juventus Stake, Bets on Other Projects as Part of Wider Push

Tether Raises Stake in Juventus

The stablecoin issuer has quietly expanded its stake in Juventus , one of Italy’s most decorated soccer clubs, from 5% to 10.1%.

That makes Tether the second-largest shareholder behind Exor (65.4%), and ahead of UK-based investment fund Lindsell Train (8.7%).

“This investment is not just financial—it’s a commitment to innovation and long-term collaboration,” said Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino.

He added that while the company might further increase its stake, “there’s no hidden agenda.”

Italian media reports suggest Tether may soon nominate Juan Sartori, a Uruguayan senator and co-owner of Sunderland FC, for a seat on Juventus’s board.

Sartori also serves as vice president of AS Monaco.

Investing Beyond Crypto and Fintech

Tether positioned its Juventus stake as part of a broader push beyond crypto, aligning with its growing interests in digital assets, artificial intelligence, Bitcoin mining, and biotech.

Ardoino and Tether founder Giancarlo Devasini, both lifelong Juventus supporters, see the club as an untapped opportunity.

“Football is stuck in outdated development and communication models,” Ardoino told Corriere della Sera , arguing that the sport must embrace technology to modernize. His vision echoed a familiar slogan: “Make Juve Great Again.”

Speaking to Il Sole 24 Ore , Ardoino hinted that Juventus could be a key partner in bringing innovation to the sports industry, linking the investment to Tether’s broader push into artificial intelligence.

Over the past 18 months, the company has invested more than $2 million in AI, including acquiring a majority stake in a U.S. firm specializing in neural chips.

Backing Mansa’s Mission to Fix Global Payments

In addition to its soccer ambitions, Tether has led a $10 million funding round for Mansa , a Dubai-based fintech firm working to solve liquidity challenges in cross-border payments.

Other participants include Polymorphic Capital, Octerra Capital, and Faculty Group.

Mansa plans to use the funds to expand operations in Latin America and Southeast Asia, regions where liquidity shortages have long hampered international transactions.

CEO Mouloukou Sanoh called the investment a “significant milestone” in their mission to make payments faster, cheaper and more reliable by leveraging on-chain solutions.

Since its launch in August 2024, Mansa has processed over $27 million in transactions, with $11 million in January alone.

The firm offers digital dollars as an alternative to restricted local currencies, aiming to reduce settlement delays and transaction costs.

Sanoh also underscored the role of stablecoins in making global payments more efficient by bypassing traditional banking inefficiencies.

Tether’s Investment Spree Continues

Tether’s expansion isn’t stopping with fintech and football. The company also finalized a $775 million investment in Rumble , the video-sharing and cloud services provider.

As part of the deal, Tether acquired 103.3 million shares of Rumble’s Class A common stock at $7.50 per share, injecting $775 million into the platform. Of this, $250 million is earmarked for growth initiatives.

Additionally, Tether has submitted a non-binding proposal to acquire a controlling 51% stake in Adecoagro, a leading South American sustainable production company. The offer values each share at $12.41.

Tether is already a significant shareholder in Adecoagro, holding 19.4% of its outstanding shares. The company operates across Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, managing 210,400 hectares of farmland and producing 2.8 million tons of agricultural goods annually, along with over 1 million MWh of renewable electricity.

Adecoagro’s board has begun reviewing the proposal, engaging financial and legal advisors to assess its impact on shareholders.

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