Tether launched a new self-custodial digital wallet on Tuesday, introducing Tether.Wallet to its global user base.
The new platform supports the company's flagship USDT stablecoin, Bitcoin, and its gold-backed token, XAUT. It also includes support for USAT, a stablecoin designed specifically for the U.S. market.
Built on Tether's open-source Wallet Development Kit (WDK), the wallet allows users to send funds using human-readable names instead of complex alphanumeric addresses. The system also enables users to pay transaction fees using the asset being transferred, removing the requirement to hold separate gas tokens.
Streamlining mass adoption
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoitim stated that the launch aims to make digital infrastructure more accessible to the company's 570 million existing users.
“The objective is to remove the complexity that has prevented broader adoption while preserving the properties that make the digital assets technology valuable,” Ardoino said in a company statement.
Ardoino described the product as “the People’s Wallet,” noting it is designed for mainstream users rather than just crypto enthusiasts. He suggested the technology is prepared for a future where humans, machines, and AI agents transact at high speeds.
The wallet supports USDT and XAUT across several networks, including Ethereum, Polygon, Plasma, and Arbitrum. Bitcoin support includes both the mainnet and the Lightning Network.
Tether projects the addition of tens of millions of new wallets each quarter. This move positions the stablecoin issuer as a direct competitor to established wallet providers like MetaMask and Phantom.
Tether currently manages USDT, which holds a market value of nearly $185 billion. The company also maintains Tether Gold (XAUT), a token backed 1:1 by physical gold stored in professional vaults.
