Tether started 2026 by adding 8,888.88 BTC to its treasury wallet as part of its Q4 2025 earnings allocation, according to CEO Paolo Ardoino.
The transfer, valued at approximately $780 million at current prices, reinforces a strategy that has quietly turned the world’s largest stablecoin issuer into one of the largest corporate holders of bitcoin.
The purchase follows a policy Tether introduced in 2023 to allocate up to 15% of its earned quarterly operating profits to bitcoin purchases, effectively turning the company into a systematic accumulator rather than an opportunistic buyer.
These accumulations are important because Tether’s gains are directly tied to the cash-like assets that back USDT, primarily US Treasuries and short-term repos. That means higher rates and strong demand for stablecoins can translate into more operating profits and, by extension, more bitcoin purchases.
Unlike corporate buyers who raise capital specifically to purchase BTC, Tether’s approach is closer to an internal treasury strategy.
It uses excess profits to diversify reserves without touching the assets backing its stablecoin liabilities, while keeping most of its backing in highly liquid instruments.
The timing is also notable. Bitcoin has struggled to sustain rallies through the end of the year, with dwindling liquidity across the board and uneven risk appetite.
BTC was trading around $89,000 at noon Hong Kong time.
