Tether Dominates the Global Market with 530 Million Users and 187 Billion Dollar Market Cap

Experts say these media appearances are not coincidental. Tether aims to strengthen its position in the U.S. market. USAT, issued through Anchorage Digital Bank, is Tether’s first stablecoin fully compliant with U.S. federal regulations. This puts Tether in direct competition with Circle’s USDC. At the same time, Fidelity Investments has also launched its own stablecoin, increasing competition in the sector.

Previously avoiding scrutiny from U.S. regulators and law enforcement, Tether now works openly with the White House, FBI, and Secret Service.

In an interview from Lugano, Switzerland, Ardoino said that Tether’s main stablecoin USDT now has a market value exceeding 187 billion dollars and more than 530 million users worldwide. He claimed that nearly 3 million new users are joining every three months, an exceptional figure for any fintech company.

According to Ardoino, Tether has created new financial inclusion opportunities in countries with weak currencies. In countries like Argentina and Turkey, where local currencies have been heavily devalued, dollar-based stablecoins have become a savings alternative for ordinary people.

However, criticisms persist. USDT has been reported to be used in illicit activities. Ardoino responded that such cases are negligible compared to total usage and that blockchain technology makes stablecoin transactions far more traceable than cash. He also stated that Tether has already seized approximately 3.5 billion dollars worth of tokens, most of which belonged to fraud or hacking victims.

Concerns about financial stability have also been raised. Ardoino noted that Tether holds around 30 billion dollars in excess reserves, managed by the influential U.S. firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

Outside stablecoins, Tether’s investments have also attracted attention. The company has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in gold-backed Tether Gold, the artificial intelligence platform Qvack, agriculture, data centers, satellites, and robotics. International media suggest that Tether is gradually transforming into a diversified global investment firm.

Ardoino expressed confidence that even if the political environment in the U.S. changes in the future, Tether will survive, emphasizing that connecting millions of people worldwide to the dollar is a matter of financial inclusion, not politics.