Tether (USDT) is the most widely used stablecoin, always aiming to maintain a 1:1 value with the U.S. dollar. Its price in relation to major fiat currencies can be tracked on an online chart, helping traders and investors stay updated in real time. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, Tether is designed for stability rather than volatility, making it a convenient tool for fast settlements, exchanges, and cross-border transfers. As the backbone of many crypto transactions, USDT bridges the gap between digital assets and the dollar, offering transparency, liquidity, and reliability for millions of users worldwide.
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Technical Analysis Tether (USDT)
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What Does USDT Stablecoin Mean?
Tether (USDT), also known as United States Dollar Tether, is the world’s first and most widely used stablecoin. Launched in 2014 by Tether Limited, this digital asset was created to provide stability in the highly volatile cryptocurrency market. Its price is pegged to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio, which makes USDT one of the most reliable mediums of exchange in the crypto ecosystem.
The key feature of a stablecoin like USDT is its resistance to sharp price fluctuations. Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other volatile cryptocurrencies, USDT maintains a predictable value. This stability allows traders and investors to protect their funds from market swings while still keeping them within the blockchain environment.
Stablecoins act as digital representations of traditional assets. While USDT and USDC are pegged to the US dollar, there are also stablecoins tied to other values, such as Tether Gold (XAUT) backed by physical gold. This diversity makes stablecoins an essential tool for global settlements, trading, and decentralized finance (DeFi).
Besides Tether, other USD-backed stablecoins have gained popularity, such as USD Coin (USDC), issued by the CENTER consortium. However, Tether remains the leader due to its early entry into the market, wide adoption, and strong liquidity across major exchanges.
Why Was USDT Created?
Tether (USDT) was launched in October 2014 as a stable alternative to volatile cryptocurrencies. Initially called RealCoin, the project was later rebranded to Tether in the same year. It was built on the Omni Layer protocol, operating on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. The first exchange to support USDT trading was Bitfinex, which later turned out to be directly connected to Tether Limited through common management and ownership structures.
The core idea behind Tether was to create a digital link to real-world assets, allowing users to benefit from blockchain technology without facing extreme price fluctuations. Each token was designed to be backed 1:1 with US dollars, ensuring stability and trust.
According to the founders, the main objectives of creating Tether included:
- Offering a stable alternative to highly volatile cryptocurrencies;
- Providing seamless conversion of fiat into digital assets at a fixed 1:1 exchange rate;
- Introducing a new reserve verification system known as Proof of Reserves, ensuring transparency and solvency;
- Facilitating national and cross-border currency transfers;
- Integration with services for bill payments and financial operations;
- Reducing overall risks for traders and investors in the crypto market.
By combining blockchain efficiency with the reliability of fiat backing, Tether became the foundation for a new category of digital assets — stablecoins — which are now indispensable in trading, payments, and decentralized finance.
Key Features of Tether (USDT) Explained Simply
Tether (USDT) is often called the “digital dollar” because its value is always tied to the US dollar. This makes it different from other cryptocurrencies that can rise or fall sharply in price. Let’s look at the main features of USDT in simple terms:
- Stable Value: 1 USDT is always equal to about 1 US dollar. This helps you avoid sudden price swings that happen with Bitcoin or Ethereum.
- Transparency: The company behind Tether publishes information about its reserves every day. This means users can see that each USDT is backed by real assets.
- Easy Exchange: USDT can be quickly swapped for dollars or other cryptocurrencies. This makes it convenient for trading, saving, or sending money worldwide.
Thanks to these qualities, Tether has become one of the most widely used stablecoins in crypto, especially for everyday payments and fast transfers across borders.
How Tether (USDT) Works
Tether (USDT) operates as a digital representation of the US dollar, making crypto transactions stable and predictable. Here’s how the process works step by step:
- Deposit Fiat: A user, which can be an individual, crypto exchange, or other crypto service, deposits US dollars into Tether Ltd’s bank account.
- Issuing USDT: Tether Ltd issues USDT tokens in a 1:1 ratio to the deposited USD.
- Receiving USDT: The user receives USDT equivalent to their deposited amount of US dollars.
- Transactions: The user can now use USDT for transfers, exchanges, or other crypto operations.
- Returning USDT: Once the user wants their dollars back, they return the USDT to Tether Ltd.
- Redemption: Tether Ltd burns the returned tokens and releases the equivalent amount of US dollars back to the user.
This system ensures that each USDT is always backed by real USD, keeping the token stable and reliable for trading, payments, and cross-border transfers.
What is Tether (USDT) Backed By?
Each Tether (USDT) token is designed to be backed 1:1 by US dollars held in reserve by Tether Ltd. This means that ideally, 1 USDT should always equal 1 USD, providing stability and predictability in crypto transactions.
However, Tether’s backing has been a topic of debate. Initially, the company claimed that every USDT token was fully backed by US dollars. In 2019, the policy was revised to include “other assets and upcoming loan proceeds” provided to third parties, meaning only about 74% of USDT tokens were directly backed by dollars at that point.
Critics point out that the absence of a comprehensive independent audit leaves some uncertainty. Some investigations suggest that the “other assets” might not fully cover the remaining 26%, raising questions about the complete dollar backing of USDT.
Can USDT Be Mined?
Tether (USDT) cannot be mined. This means that new USDT tokens are created exclusively when fiat funds are deposited with Tether Ltd. Unlike traditional cryptocurrencies, there is no mining process or block reward for generating new tokens.
This limitation aligns with Tether’s primary purpose: to serve as a stable intermediary between real-world fiat and digital assets. The total supply of USDT is strictly tied to the amount of fiat deposited with the issuer, ensuring that the circulating tokens are always fully backed.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Tether (USDT)
Tether (USDT) is the pioneering stablecoin bridging the gap between fiat dollars and cryptocurrencies. Despite its popularity, the project has faced criticism and scrutiny. Here’s a clear overview of its main advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
- Stable rate, providing reliability in volatile markets
- High liquidity for easy trading and transfers
- Availability across multiple blockchains
- Fiat-backed reserves ensuring token stability
- Wide adoption among exchanges and users
- Fast and low-cost transactions, especially on the Tron blockchain
- Significant market capitalization
- Ease of settlements
- Transparent reporting of reserves
- Same conditions for individuals and corporate users
Disadvantages
- Mandatory KYC when depositing funds
- Centralized control by Tether Ltd
- Lack of fully independent audits
- Problematic reputation in the crypto community
- Accusations of market manipulation
Important: Tether does not guarantee the conversion of all tokens into dollars and reserves the right to refuse service to users who violate its terms.
Tether Subtypes
Following the success of USDT, Tether Ltd issued several other stablecoins. While these subtypes have not reached the popularity of USDT, they offer alternatives pegged to different assets.
- EURT (Eurocoin) – a stablecoin backed by the euro, allowing European users to transact with a fiat-pegged cryptocurrency.
- CNHT – pegged to the Chinese yuan, providing exposure to the yuan in a digital form.
- XAUT (Tether Gold) – backed by physical gold, combining the stability of a precious metal with the convenience of blockchain transactions.
These subtypes expand Tether’s ecosystem, offering flexibility for users who want to leverage different fiat currencies or commodities while maintaining the benefits of stablecoins.
Types of USDT
Tether (USDT) has been issued on multiple blockchain protocols, including Omni (Bitcoin), ERC-20 (Ethereum), TRC-20 (Tron), EOS, Liquid, Algorand, Solana, OMG Network, and Bitcoin Cash. This multi-chain approach enhances liquidity and increases trading volumes across exchanges.
In 2022, USDT Polygon was introduced, gaining attention as a modern alternative to the Omni version, which has become less relevant over time. Additionally, plans are underway to launch USDT tokens on the Lightning Network, further expanding options for fast and low-fee transactions.
Among all types, the most widely used remain ERC-20 on Ethereum, TRC-20 on Tron, and the newly emerging USDT Polygon. These variations allow users to select the blockchain that best suits their transaction speed, cost, and compatibility needs.
USDT on ERC-20: What It Is
In 2018, as Bitcoin network fees surged, Tether began issuing USDT on the ERC-20 protocol atop the Ethereum blockchain. This move made trading significantly cheaper and faster compared to the Omni version. Today, ERC-20 USDT is the leading type among all available options, offering seamless interaction with smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).
USDT on TRC-20: What It Is
Tether expanded to the Tron blockchain in April 2019 using the TRC-20 standard, which is technically similar to Ethereum’s ERC-20. The launch supported the growth of the Tron dApp ecosystem, providing faster and low-cost transactions for USDT holders.
USDT on Polygon
In spring 2022, Tether introduced USDT on the Polygon network, formerly known as Matic Network. Polygon offers high scalability with Plasma technology, handling up to 65,000 transactions per second while maintaining low fees compared to Ethereum. Its strong interoperability allows easy integration with other blockchain networks, supporting a wide range of decentralized applications.
USDT on TON
USDT TON is a stablecoin issued on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, compliant with the Jetton standard. Launched in April 2024, it supports instant transfers with minimal fees thanks to TON’s high-performance sharding mechanism, processing up to 100,000 TPS. TON also integrates USDT transactions directly in Telegram, enhancing liquidity. As of October 2024, TON’s USDT capitalization exceeds $150 million with daily trading volumes of 30-50 million USDT.
Which USDT Protocol Is Better?
The choice of USDT type depends largely on your needs and the blockchain you plan to use. Key differences between the main protocols include transaction speed and fees. On Tron, Polygon, and TON, transfers typically complete within a few seconds, whereas Ethereum’s ERC-20 transactions can take several minutes.
Regarding transaction costs, TRC-20, Polygon, and TON offer the lowest fees, making them ideal for frequent, small transactions. ERC-20, while more expensive, is better suited for exchange trading due to its wide adoption and compatibility with decentralized applications.
For daily payments or institutional trading, USDT on Polygon strikes a balance between speed, cost, and functionality. Meanwhile, USDT on TON is especially promising for integration with Telegram, allowing instant transfers without fees and access to DeFi tools within the TON network.
Important: Tokens of one standard cannot be sent to addresses of another. Always verify addresses carefully: USDT ERC-20 addresses start with 0x
, while TRC-20 addresses always begin with the letter T
.
USDT Market Capitalization and Exchange Rate History
Tether (USDT) has established itself as the largest and most widely used stablecoin in the crypto market. As of January 2025, USDT boasts a market capitalization of $138.87 billion with a daily trading volume exceeding $158.27 billion. According to Coingecko, it ranks as the third largest cryptocurrency by market cap after Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The main networks supporting USDT include Ethereum (ERC-20), Tron (TRC-20), Solana (SPL), Polygon (MATIC), and TON.
Since its launch in 2014, USDT has maintained a strong connection to the US dollar, with its price generally hovering around $1. The following table illustrates the approximate annual capitalization and average USDT price over the years:
- 2014: Market Cap $10 million – Price ~$1.00
- 2015: Market Cap $80 million – Price ~$1.00
- 2016: Market Cap $400 million – Price ~$1.00
- 2017: Market Cap $1.7 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2018: Market Cap $2.8 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2019: Market Cap $4.5 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2020: Market Cap $17.6 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2021: Market Cap $62.3 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2022: Market Cap $68.5 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2023: Market Cap $76.2 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2024: Market Cap $110.7 billion – Price ~$1.00
- 2025: Market Cap $138.87 billion – Price ~$1.00
Since 2019, USDT has exhibited minimal volatility, generally fluctuating within 0.01–1%, though historical deviations, such as brief spikes to $1.2, have occurred. Its stability makes it a reliable option for traders, payments, and as a bridge between fiat and cryptocurrencies.
How to Use Tether (USDT)
Tether (USDT) is widely used as a convenient and stable digital currency for a variety of purposes. It allows users to make payments on online platforms, perform peer-to-peer transfers, and move funds quickly between cryptocurrency exchanges. One of its key advantages is the ability to buy cryptocurrencies on exchanges that do not support direct fiat deposits.
USDT provides a significant benefit during periods of high market volatility. Traders and investors can quickly convert volatile cryptocurrencies into USDT, preserving value without the delays and fees associated with converting to traditional fiat currencies. Unlike bank transfers in US dollars, which may take several business days, USDT transactions are usually completed within minutes or even seconds.
Additionally, transaction costs for USDT are generally much lower compared to traditional banking systems like SWIFT, making it an efficient tool for both everyday payments and large-scale transfers. Its stability and speed make Tether an essential tool for navigating the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Where to Buy Tether (USDT)
Tether (USDT) is available on almost every major cryptocurrency exchange, making it easy for users to buy and trade. It can be purchased directly for fiat currencies, other cryptocurrencies, or stablecoins, providing maximum flexibility for both beginners and experienced traders.
Popular exchanges offering USDT include:
- 💰 Binance – one of the largest global crypto exchanges, offering multiple trading pairs with USDT.
- 💰 Kraken – a reliable platform for fiat-to-crypto transactions, supporting USDT deposits and withdrawals.
- 💰 OKEx – offers spot, futures, and margin trading for USDT.
- 💰 Huobi – widely used for USDT trading across various pairs.
- 💰 Bitfinex – historically significant, often used for large USDT transfers.
- 💰 KuCoin – a popular exchange for smaller traders and altcoin pairs with USDT.
- 💰 Coinbase – beginner-friendly platform with USDT support in select regions.
- 💰 MEXC – supports USDT trading across multiple blockchain protocols.
Besides exchanges, USDT can also be obtained via cryptocurrency wallets with built-in purchase options, P2P platforms, and trusted online brokers. Always ensure that the platform you use is reputable and secure before buying USDT.
Wallets for Storage of Tether (USDT)
Storing USDT safely is essential due to its high liquidity and widespread use. Depending on your needs — trading, long-term holding, or frequent transfers — you can choose between hardware, software, and online wallets.
Popular options for storing Tether include:
- 💾 Hardware wallets: Ledger, Trezor – provide maximum security for large amounts of USDT, offline storage protects from hacks.
- 💻 Software wallets: Trust Wallet, Exodus, Atomic Wallet – convenient for desktop and mobile use, suitable for regular transfers and trading.
- 🌐 Exchange wallets: Binance, Kraken, Coinbase – ideal for active traders, but keep in mind that funds are stored on the platform, so security depends on the exchange.
- 📄 Paper wallets: generated on secure sites, provide cold storage for long-term holding of USDT offline.
It is recommended to use hardware or paper wallets for large holdings, while software and exchange wallets are more suitable for frequent transactions. Always ensure private keys and recovery phrases are stored securely and never shared.
Prospects and Forecast for Tether (USDT)
Tether (USDT) remains the leading stablecoin in the cryptocurrency market, bridging the gap between fiat currencies and digital assets. Its primary strength lies in its stability, low volatility, and wide adoption across exchanges, payment platforms, and DeFi services.
Experts believe USDT will continue to play a critical role in the crypto ecosystem due to:
- 💹 High liquidity: USDT is widely used for trading and cross-exchange transfers, making it indispensable for investors and traders.
- 🌐 Integration with multiple blockchains: With issuance on Ethereum, Tron, Solana, Polygon, TON, and other networks, USDT ensures fast and affordable transactions.
- ⚡ Reliable stable value: Pegged to the US dollar, USDT minimizes risks from crypto volatility, attracting both retail and institutional users.
- 💼 Expansion in payment systems and DeFi: As more platforms integrate USDT for payments and lending, its use and adoption are expected to grow.
Short-term forecasts indicate that USDT will maintain its 1:1 peg to the US dollar, while long-term prospects are tied to the growth of the cryptocurrency market and adoption of stablecoins in global finance. Investors often use USDT to hedge against market volatility and to facilitate rapid crypto transactions.
Overall, Tether’s stability, widespread acceptance, and ongoing development across multiple blockchains make it a cornerstone of the crypto financial system with continued growth potential.
FAQ – Tether (USDT)
1. What is Tether (USDT)?
Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, designed to provide a stable value for trading and transactions in the cryptocurrency market.
2. How does Tether work?
USDT is issued by Tether Limited when fiat funds are deposited. Tokens can then be transferred, traded, or converted back to dollars at a 1:1 ratio.
3. Is Tether backed by real assets?
Yes, each USDT token is backed by reserves held by Tether Limited, including fiat, cash equivalents, and other approved assets.
4. Can you mine USDT?
No, Tether cannot be mined. USDT issuance only occurs when fiat currency is deposited with Tether Limited.
5. What are the advantages of Tether?
USDT offers stability, high liquidity, fast transactions, wide adoption, and availability on multiple blockchains.
6. What are the disadvantages of Tether?
USDT is centralized, has faced audit and transparency concerns, and is sometimes associated with regulatory scrutiny.
7. What are Tether’s subtypes?
Other Tether stablecoins include EURT (Euro-backed), CNHT (Chinese yuan-backed), and XAUT (gold-backed).
8. On which blockchains is USDT available?
USDT is issued on Omni (Bitcoin), ERC-20 (Ethereum), TRC-20 (Tron), Solana, Polygon, TON, and other protocols.
9. What is USDT ERC-20?
USDT ERC-20 is issued on the Ethereum blockchain, offering compatibility with smart contracts and decentralized applications.
10. What is USDT TRC-20?
USDT TRC-20 is issued on Tron, allowing faster and cheaper transactions suitable for high-frequency payments.
11. What is USDT Polygon?
USDT Polygon is issued on the Polygon blockchain, offering scalability, lower fees, and interoperability with other networks.
12. What is USDT TON?
USDT TON is issued on The Open Network (TON) blockchain, enabling instant transfers and integration with Telegram and DeFi applications.
13. Where can I buy USDT?
You can buy USDT on major exchanges such as Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, Huobi, OKX, and others.
14. How can I store Tether safely?
USDT can be stored in hardware wallets (Ledger, Trezor), software wallets (Exodus, Trust Wallet), or on supported crypto exchanges.
15. What are Tether’s prospects?
USDT is expected to maintain its stability and adoption due to high liquidity, use in trading, and integration across blockchains and financial services.