Tether has transferred 951 bitcoin worth $70.5 million from a Bitfinex hot wallet into its treasury reserve wallet, according to blockchain analytics data from Arkham Intelligence and other on-chain monitoring firms. The move continues the stablecoin issuer's systematic Bitcoin acquisition strategy, which now positions the company among the largest corporate holders in the sector.
Bitcoin Acquisition Strategy Tied to Business Revenue
The transaction reflects Tether's profit allocation policy established in 2023, which dedicates 15% of quarterly net realized profits to Bitcoin purchases. This approach directly links the company's stablecoin issuance revenue to its Bitcoin accumulation, creating a predictable demand source that removes coins from exchange circulation into long-term corporate custody.
On-chain records indicate Tether now holds approximately 97,141 BTC across reserve addresses, placing it among the top private Bitcoin holders globally. The company has built this position through multiple purchase cycles since 2022, with each allocation pulling supply from liquid markets into corporate balance sheets.
The strategy introduces Bitcoin price exposure to Tether's reserve portfolio while maintaining dollar-pegged USDT liabilities. The company states that U.S. Treasury securities comprise the majority of USDT backing, with Bitcoin representing a smaller portion of total reserves.
Direct Consumer Push Through Self-Custodial Wallet
Separately, Tether launched tether.wallet, marking a strategic shift from backend infrastructure provider to consumer-facing platform. The self-custodial wallet supports USDT, Bitcoin, and tokenized gold (XAU₮) across multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Polygon, and Bitcoin.
The product features human-readable addresses and allows users to pay transaction fees in the asset being transferred, eliminating gas token requirements. Private keys remain stored locally on user devices, maintaining self-custody principles.
CEO Paolo Ardoino positioned the wallet as a financial inclusion tool targeting emerging markets, leveraging Tether's existing network that the company claims reaches over 570 million users. The wallet runs on Tether's open-source Wallet Development Kit and supports future machine-to-machine and AI-driven payment infrastructure.
Workforce Implications
For blockchain professionals, Tether's dual expansion—both accumulating Bitcoin reserves and launching consumer products—signals potential hiring across treasury operations, blockchain development, and product teams. The consumer wallet push particularly suggests demand for mobile developers, UX designers, and regional market specialists focused on emerging economies where self-custodial solutions address banking gaps.
