In a landmark announcement for the digital currency space, Tether Holdings has revealed that its flagship stablecoin, USDT, now boasts over 500 million users worldwide. Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, hailed this milestone as “the largest financial inclusion achievement in history,” underscoring the asset’s profound impact in emerging economies.
?BREAKING:
TETHER $USDT HITS 500 MILLION USERS. pic.twitter.com/NAsOoOgzGP
— Crypto Ape (@TheMoneyApe) October 21, 2025
The company’s official announcement on the 21st noted that USDT’s market capitalization has soared to approximately $182.1 billion, dwarfing its closest competitor, Circle’s USDC, which has a market cap of around $75 billion.
USDT Growth Fueled by Strategic Expansion in Emerging Markets
This explosive growth is largely driven by Tether’s strategic focus on emerging markets. In regions plagued by volatile national currencies or underdeveloped banking infrastructure, USDT has become an indispensable tool for remittances and everyday financial transactions.
Tether is actively pushing for the integration of stablecoins into daily life beyond centralized exchanges. The company, which is also one of the world’s largest holders of U.S. Treasury bills, reported a record net profit of $4.9 billion in the second quarter of 2025. Ardoino has positioned programmable currency like USDT as the “ultimate social network that carries both information and value.”
Regulatory Hurdles and the Road Ahead
Despite its success, Tether faces a complex regulatory landscape. Bloomberg reported that the company is planning to raise approximately $20 billion at a valuation of around $500 billion, a move that would involve selling about 3% of its equity and cement its status as one of the world’s most valuable private companies.
In the United States, the passage of the GENIUS Act now mandates annual audits for stablecoins exceeding $50 billion in market cap. Meanwhile, in Europe, USDT has been delisted from major exchanges due to non-compliance with the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations, leading to a loss of market share.
In response, Tether plans to launch a new U.S.-compliant, dollar-pegged stablecoin called USAT by the end of 2025. Bo Hines, CEO of Tether’s U.S. division, stated that the project will be funded through new share issuance rather than external fundraising. The company has no plans for an IPO, intending to maintain its financial independence while focusing on high-adoption markets like Latin America and Africa.
