Tether, the issuer behind the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, is gearing up for a massive capital raise that could catapult its valuation to an eye-popping $500 billion. If successful, this would place the El Salvador-based company in the same league as tech powerhouses like SpaceX and OpenAI.
CEO Paolo Ardoino confirmed the company is exploring a private placement round valued between $15 billion and $20 billion for approximately a 3% equity stake. The proposed deal would involve the issuance of new equity, rather than a sell-off by existing shareholders, according to Bloomberg. However, the talks are still in early stages.
Fueling Expansion Beyond Stablecoins
While Tether is best known for USDT, its ambitions go far beyond the stablecoin market. The fresh injection of capital is intended to supercharge the company’s growth across multiple sectors, including:
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Artificial Intelligence
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Commodity Trading
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Energy
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Communications
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Media
Ardoino stated that the funding would help Tether “maximize scale by several orders of magnitude,” signaling aggressive plans for global expansion and diversification.
US Presence Grows Amid Pro-Crypto Momentum
As the U.S. becomes increasingly receptive to crypto innovation, Tether has been expanding its presence stateside. The company recently appointed a CEO for its U.S. operations under the new GENIUS Act, which is designed to support digital innovation.
Meanwhile, Tether’s USDT remains the dominant stablecoin, with a market cap now exceeding $172 billion, dwarfing its closest competitor, Circle’s USDC, which stands at around $74 billion. This dominance reinforces Tether’s central role in global crypto liquidity and underpins its growing influence across financial and technological sectors.
If Tether’s fundraising goals are met, it will be one of the largest private raises in tech history, signaling a bold new era for both the company and the broader crypto ecosystem.
