Tether 's stablecoin USDT hits 500 million real users, equivalent to 6.25% of the world's population, with a market Capital of $182.4 billion, accounting for 58.4% of the market share.
Tether , the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, has just reached a historic milestone as USDT officially reached 500 million active users. CEO Paolo Ardoino called this “perhaps the biggest financial inclusion achievement in history,” reflecting the increasingly important Vai of stablecoins in expanding access to global financial services. This figure does not simply represent the number of blockchain wallets, but rather 500 million active users, equivalent to about 6.25% of the world’s population, who have traded or held USDT.
This USD- Peg stablecoin is XEM as an important solution for those who cannot access the traditional banking system. According to the World Bank, there are currently about 1.4 billion adults without bank accounts, and crypto assets, especially stablecoins, are becoming a viable tool to bridge this gap.
With just a phone, users can download a crypto wallet, receive and store funds securely without the need for a bank intermediary. This benefit is even more obvious for those living in countries with high inflation or risk of asset confiscation, as USDT provides a more stable store of value than local currency.
From speculative tool to lifesaver
To celebrate the milestone, Tether released a 10-minute documentary documenting the popularity of USDT in Kenya, where people use the stablecoin not for speculation but for survival. According to CEO Ardoino, 37% of USDT users hold the stablecoin as a store of value. The film highlights how many small businesses in Kenya have turned to USDT to pay for imports due to the sharp weakening of the Kenyan shilling, turning to USDT as a lifeline to keep their businesses afloat.
Currently, USDT is the world's largest stablecoin with a market Capital of $182.4 billion, accounting for 58.4% of the global market share according to CoinGecko data, far surpassing Circle 's USDC at $76.8 billion. This growth momentum was further reinforced by news last month that Tether was in talks to raise up to $20 billion at a valuation of around $500 billion, which could make the company one of the most valuable private companies in the world.
Cantor Fitzgerald, the long-standing US financial services group, is acting as lead advisor on the deal.
