Tether Says USDT Use Is Rising in Four Currency‑Stressed Economies
Tether's CEO says people use USDT as a digital dollar to protect savings when local currencies lose value.
Overview
- Tether chief Paolo Ardoino said on Sunday that reliance on USDT has grown in Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Turkey as residents and businesses seek dollar exposure.
- Independent data show heavy regional crypto activity with Chainalysis ranking Turkey 14th, Venezuela 18th and Argentina 20th in 2025 and measuring about $1.5 trillion in Latin American crypto flows from July 2022 through June 2025.
- Bolivia has moved toward formal recognition by publishing an official USDT reference rate based on peer‑to‑peer trading and by allowing some banks to offer USDT services.
- In Venezuela merchants reportedly accept USDT for retail payments and some trade settlements, creating a mixed cash, dollar and stablecoin economy that people use to preserve buying power.
- Tether reports large scale — a record USDT supply and 570 million users by March 2026 — but these are company figures and USDT carries issuer, wallet and regulatory risks that could affect access and everyday finances.