Strategic acquisition jumpstarts WisdomTree’s entry into the private asset markets, with a focus on a high-growth $3.5 trillion U.S. farmland market and adjacent verticals, including solar, AI data infrastructure and water

Day 1 accretive transaction that accelerates long-term earnings growth potential

WisdomTree, Inc., a global financial innovator, announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ceres Partners, LLC, a leading U.S.-based alternative asset manager specializing in farmland investments. This transaction marks WisdomTree’s entry into the private asset markets—starting with real estate and specifically farmland—and positions WisdomTree as a category leader. Additionally, the Ceres farmland platform benefits from opportunities in strategic adjacencies in demand for solar, AI data infrastructure and water that are expected to drive faster growth.

The acquisition delivers immediate scale and long-term upside, bringing approximately $1.85 billion in assets under management across approximately 545 U.S. farmland properties spanning 12 states, predominantly in the Midwest. Ceres has a strong track record of performance, having delivered a 10.3% net average annual total return since its inception in 2007—outperforming farmland benchmarks.

With farmland recognized as one of the largest and most underpenetrated real asset classes in the U.S., WisdomTree believes there is significant opportunity for growth. The asset class historically provides resilient, inflation-protected returns and is largely uncorrelated to traditional equity and bond markets. As demand accelerates for income-generating, inflation-hedged private investments, this transaction well positions WisdomTree to offer differentiated access on an institutional scale. Farmland prices and asset values rose in the U.S. in all but nine years since World War II, and Ceres represents a value-added platform in a category that has the fundamentals for greater advisor and institutional adoption.

“Farmland is one of the largest yet most underpenetrated real asset classes in the U.S., offering both scale and scarcity,” said Jonathan Steinberg, WisdomTree Founder and CEO. “This acquisition expands our leadership in innovative, income-generating investment solutions, while strategically accelerating our entry into private asset markets with a high-quality, scalable platform. It reflects our commitment to delivering differentiated exposures that drive long-term value for clients and stockholders alike. This strategic acquisition now positions WisdomTree to capitalize on the most significant structural growth opportunities in wealth and asset management today: ETPs, private markets, managed models and tokenization.”

Perry Vieth, Founder and CEO, Ceres Partners, said, “We are proud of Ceres’ long-standing partnerships and legacy with farmers. Joining forces with WisdomTree marks an exciting new chapter for Ceres. For nearly two decades, we’ve built a differentiated farmland investment platform rooted in performance, operational expertise and a deep understanding of U.S. agricultural markets. This partnership brings product innovation, scale and distribution that will allow us to reach more investors seeking resilient, inflation-hedged and income-generating real assets. Together, we are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the next wave of growth in farmland —including solar, AI data infrastructure and water—with a shared commitment to innovation and long-term value creation.”

2030 Strategic Goals

• Raise over $750 million in farmland assets by year-end 2030 with fee structures approximating 1% base / 20% performance
• Double base fee revenue by year-end 2030
• Grow performance fee revenue by 1.5x–2x, assuming continued historical return levels
• Accelerate WisdomTree’s overall margin expansion trajectory

Key Transaction Terms

• $275 million upfront cash consideration payable at closing, subject to customary adjustments
• Up to $225 million earn-out consideration payable in 2030, contingent on compound annual revenue growth of 12–22% measured over five years
• Subject to approvals, financing and other customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close in Q4 2025

This transaction solidifies Ceres as a cornerstone of WisdomTree’s long-term strategy to build the next-generation asset management platform—one that blends structural growth sectors, innovative delivery and a future-ready product suite. Together with existing strengths in ETPs, managed models and tokenization, WisdomTree will offer clients institutional access to a highly differentiated set of exposures across both public and private markets.

WisdomTree will discuss the acquisition in further detail during its Q2 2025 earnings call on August 1, 2025 at 12:00 pm ET. For access, visit https://ir.wisdomtree.com/.

Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal counsel to WisdomTree. Berkshire Global Advisors is serving as financial advisor and Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP is acting as legal counsel to Ceres Partners.

Source: WisdomTree