Tether: The Glue Holding Crypto Together
Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin—think of it as digital dollars that live on the blockchain. At $184 billion in market cap, it’s the world’s largest stablecoin and handles the vast majority of crypto trading volume globally. Launched in 2014, it lets traders move money across borders without converting to actual dollars, settling instantly and cheaply.
Strength and Weakness
Tether has the highest liquidity of any stablecoin and operates across multiple blockchains (Ethereum, Tron, Solana). The downside: reserve transparency has historically faced scrutiny, and there’s always counterparty risk tied to Tether Ltd itself. The 2025 U.S. stablecoin legislation brought more oversight, which actually made USDT more defensible for institutions.
[IMAGE: Stablecoin pegged to dollar symbol or blockchain transfer visual]
ADVERTISEMENT
