Tether Acquires Bitcoin Worth $458.7M for Cantor Merger Transaction

Tether has acquired a substantial amount of Bitcoin tokens as part of a strategic role in a business merger involving Cantor Equity Partners and Twenty One Capital.The purchase, disclosed under a Business Combination Agreement dated April 22, 2025, involved 4,812 Bitcoin for over $458.7 million at an average price of $95,319.83 per Bitcoin. According to regulatory documents filed Tuesday, the acquisition is tied to an effort to support the financial structure of an upcoming public listing via SPAC.Digital Asset Transfer Anchors Initial PIPE InvestmentShortly after the creation of Twenty One Capital, Tether moved the Bitcoin tokens to a wallet it controls. This allocation, designated in the filing as the Initial PIPE Bitcoin, forms part of a private investment in public equity structure.The company will transfer it to the merged public company at the same $458.7 million valuation once the transaction closes. The document links the funds used by Tether to subscription proceeds raised through a convertible note offering.Through this transaction, Tether joins other backers contributing capital in Bitcoin form. Meanwhile, Cantor Equity Partners has custody of 31,500 Bitcoin on behalf of Twenty One Capital. Combined with Tethers contribution, the firms current Bitcoin reserves reach 36,312 BTC. This move illustrates the company's focus on structuring its balance sheet around digital assets during the merger process.Crypto Entities Commit to Funding StructureEarlier this year, Cantor Equity Partners raised $200 million to initiate the creation of Twenty One Capital. As part of a broader funding arrangement, Tether committed $1.5 billion in digital assets to the firm. Additionally, SoftBank allocated $900 million, and Bitfinex added $600 million in Bitcoin. These contributions will bring the total Bitcoin support for the newly formed entity to $3 billion.The funding pool is part of a coordinated effort to capitalize Twenty One Capital, which will operate under the ticker XXI following the mergers completion. While the approval process is currently in progress, no official timeline for the finalization has been announced. The firms capital structure is being designed with Bitcoin at its core, underscoring a preference for digital asset-backed financial mechanisms.

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Latest Tether Attestation Shows $1B+ Profit in Q1 2025, as Treasury Holdings Near $120B Milestone

Tether has published its Q1 2025 attestation, revealing strong financial performance despite the crypto market turbulence during the quarter.According to a press release today, the stablecoin giant recorded over $1 billion in operational profit during the first quarter, while its U.S. Treasury holdings neared a historic $120 billion, an all-time high for the company. The figures, verified by global accounting firm BDO, show Tether's increasing dominance.Tether Sees $1B Profit in Q1 2025Compared to Q4 2024, the latest figures show a mixed but largely favorable performance. While operational profit stood above $1 billion in Q1 2025, it was significantly lower than the prior quarter's exceptional $6 billion profit. However, the Q4 2024 total included substantial unrealized gains from Bitcoin and gold, inflating the headline figure. The more modest Q1 result came from Treasury holdings yield, with gold performance nearly offsetting crypto market volatility.Meanwhile, Tether's exposure to U.S. Treasuries continued to grow quarter-over-quarter, climbing from $113 billion in Q4 2024 to nearly $120 billion in Q1 2025. This represents a consistent push to bolster liquidity and minimize risk through investments in short-term government debt. The company now sits among the world's top holders of U.S. Treasuries, using this portfolio to maintain the stability of its flagship token, USD.Slower Figures But Robust Operational Condition Notable, total assets as of March 31, 2025, stood at roughly $149.3 billion, with liabilities amounting to $143.7 billion, leaving a surplus of nearly $5.6 billion in excess reserves. This figure, though lower than the $7 billion buffer reported at the end of Q4 2024, still shows strong risk management. The slight dip may be attributable to asset reallocation and changing market conditions but does not suggest a deterioration in financial health.In addition, USD issuance increased by about $7 billion during the quarter, a slower pace compared to the $23 billion issued in Q4 2024. However, the number of active user wallets grew by 46 million, a 13% quarter-over-quarter rise, indicating ongoing adoption and confidence in Tether's stability. Tether's total liabilities continue to be nearly entirely tied to digital tokens issued. Importantly, this confirms the company's commitment to maintaining a fully reserved model. Specifically, the firm's reserves have consistently been backed by cash and cash equivalents at a high ratio, with the remainder spread across gold, Bitcoin, and proprietary investments not included in token backing.Further, the company has now allocated more than $2 billion to emerging sectors like renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and data infrastructure. Notably, the Q1 2025 report also marked Tether's first under regulatory oversight in El Salvador.

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Tether Releases First Gold Token Attestation: 7.7 Tons of Gold Back $770M XAUT Supply

The worlds largest stablecoin issuer, Tether, has released its first formal attestation for its gold-backed token, Tether Gold (XAU).Notably, this token is under El Salvadors regulatory framework. The report confirms that more than 7.7 tons of physical gold back the circulating supply of XAU, solidifying its position as the market's largest tokenized gold asset.7.7 Tons of Gold Backing, $770M Market CapAs of the end of Q1 2025, Tether reports that 246,523.33 troy ounces of gold are held in secure vaults in Switzerland, backing XAU on a 1:1 basis. At the attestation date, the price per token stood at $3,123, with the market cap reaching approximately $770 million. Notably, XAU reached an all-time high of $3,423 on April 21, 2025, driven by rising demand for safe-haven assets amid gold's uptick. The development coincided with the global downturn in the financial markets, including crypto assets.The attestation marks the first under a new regulatory regime in El Salvador, where XAU is now a regulated digital asset. This development adds further legal certainty and positions Tether Gold as a standout asset among gold-backed tokens.https://twitter.com/Tether_to/status/1916845514722627650Gold Demand Soars as BRICS Central Banks Lead AccumulationXAUs growth reflects broader macro trends, as global investors and governments seek refuge from escalating inflation, trade disputes, and geopolitical instability. According to the World Gold Council, central banks purchased 1,044.6 metric tons of gold in 2024. BRICS nations led the charge in diversifying away from U.S. dollar reliance.Tether presents XAU as a natural extension of golds historical role as a store of value, now accessible via blockchain. Notably, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that XAU allows users to access the stability of physical gold in digital form. Particularly, it is secure, easy to transfer, and fully backed by physical gold reserves on a one-to-one basis.While Bitcoin remains the long-term vision for decentralized finance, Tether emphasizes that gold is already trusted in many emerging markets. XAU fills a gap, especially for populations experiencing currency devaluation or political instability, by offering a digital, legally-backed version of their traditional hedge.As fiat systems face mounting pressure, blockchain-based alternative assets like XAU act as hybrid assets. XAU merges centuries-old trust in gold with the efficiency and reach of digital assets.

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Tether CEO Ardoino Says USDT on Bitcoin Lightning Network Is a Natural Evolution Amid Proposed Integration

Tethers CEO, Paolo Ardoino, has insisted that USDT on Bitcoin Lightning remains the best amid plans to integrate the stablecoin on the network.Ardoino views USDTs availability on the Bitcoin network as a return to its natural habitat, sharing a brief history between the duo. Furthermore, he stressed why Bitcoin Lightning is the best for USDT large-scale transactions, highlighting its strength over other blockchains.USDT Soon Coming to the Bitcoin Lightning NetworkIn an interview with Scott Melker, the Wolf of All Streets host, he confirmed that the Tether stablecoin will soon become available on the Bitcoin network through its layer 2 Lightning network. Notably, he mentioned USDTs roots from the chain, stating that the stablecoin issuers built its protocol as an Omni-layer on the Bitcoin network.However, the issuer has expanded beyond the network, stopping USDTs issuance on Omni, the chain where it minted its first USDT, due to low demand. Nonetheless, the stablecoin would soon return to the Bitcoin network with the teased integration.Meanwhile, the statement follows an initial January 30 announcement of the collaboration. The Crypto Basic reported that the Lightning Lab announced a partnership with Tether to integrate USDT on the blockchain powered by Taproot Assets.Ardoino Highlights Lightnings Advantage Over Other Layer 2sArdoino noted that Bitcoin Lightning is the best place to conduct large-scale transactions using the USDT token. He cited reasons such as single-share state and limited network validators as major setbacks of other L2s compared with Lightning.For context, he stated that some layer 2 networks, especially on Ethereum, have few or no validators on the chain, making transactions difficult. However, the peer-to-peer Bitcoin Lightning uses nodes to process transactions, making them readily available.Additionally, the Tether CEO emphasized the decentralized nature of Bitcoin Lightning compared to other chains. Since the network leverages payment channels to make on-chain and off-chain transactions, users of an existing channel can maintain anonymity, unlike Ethereum L2s single-share state, where every validator has access to all individual data on the blockchain.Meanwhile, Melker noted that all other innovations built on other chains are slowly returning to Bitcoin. This narrative is seen with Cardano EMURGOs collaboration to allow Bitcoin network users access to decentralized finance (DeFi) and smart contract features through the BOS Grail bridge.

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Ethereum Eyes $2,000 Breakout Amid Aggressive Whale Accumulation

Crypto whales are buying the dip, adding over $16M in ETH across strategic wallets. Ethereums bullish reversal eyes $2,000, with a long-term target of $4,000.As the crypto market mirrors a minor recovery in the global market, altcoins are on the verge of a major comeback. The largest altcoin, Ethereum, is currently floating above the $1,500 mark.Ethereum is nearing a potential trendline breakout and targeting the $2,000 level. Will this trigger a new bullish trend for Ethereum?Crypto Whales Buy Another Dip in EthereumAmid the recent increase in ETH price volatility, multiple large holders are accumulating ETH. In the latest price trend, a newly created wallet accumulated 9,610 ETH tokens worth $14.54 million.Initially, with a withdrawal of 5,000 ETH from Kraken, the entity acquired 7 million USDS on Spark as a borrowed amount, using ETH as collateral. With the borrowed funds, the entity added an additional 4,600 ETH tokens at an average price of $1,518.This layered approach to acquiring ETH highlights strong confidence in the asset.https://twitter.com/spotonchain/status/1910512232380932279Additionally, a mysterious group known as the 7 Siblings in the crypto market is making significant bets on ETH.The group has been exchanging MKR tokens to increase its ETH holdings. Over the past 48 hours, it swapped 1,611 MKR tokens for ETH, increasing its position by 1,364 ETH, worth nearly $2 million.BlackRocks ETHA Marks First Day of Inflow Since February 13Despite growing interest from crypto whales, institutional confidence in Ethereum has been lagging. On April 10, U.S. Ethereum spot ETFs recorded an outflow of $38.79 million.This marked the third consecutive day of net outflows, following $11.19 million on April 9. Fidelity saw an outflow of $36.01 million on April 10, while VanEck, Bitwise, and Grayscale registered outflows of less than $5 million each.However, BlackRock saw an inflow of $6.43 million for the first time since February 13. The remaining four Ethereum ETFs recorded net-zero outflows on April 10.Ethereum ETFsEthereum ETFsETH Analysis Points to Potential Channel Breakout RallyAs large investors accumulate Ethereum, the short-term recovery will likely push the price past the local resistance trendline, reigniting positive cycles within a larger falling-channel pattern.Supporting the likelihood of a positive reversal, technical indicators are signaling a potential shift. The MACD and signal lines are approaching a positive crossover from a negative trajectory.Ethereum Price ChartAt the same time, bearish momentum is declining. The RSI is bouncing back from the oversold region, surpassing its 14-day SMA, indicating the emergence of new bullish momentum and a possible uptrend.Based on Fibonacci levels, the positive cycle within the parallel channel will likely challenge the 23.60% retracement level, which aligns with the $2,000 psychological mark.Optimistically, the channel breakout rally could propel Ethereum back to the $4,000 levels. On the downside, key support remains near the psychological mark of $1,500, followed by the $1,400 horizontal level.

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Thailand SEC Approves Tether USDT for Trading and Payments

Thailands Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has granted compliance status to Tether (USDT), allowing it to be traded on regulated exchanges within the country. Tether announced the development today in a press release, noting that the Thai SEC has accepted its USD-pegged stablecoin as "an approved cryptocurrency." Following the approval, USDT can be listed and traded on regulated exchanges and accepted for payments. Thailands Crypto Regulation and Adoption Notably, the approval is part of Thailands updated digital asset regulation, which aims to enhance flexibility for crypto-related businesses. The updated regulation, which was finalized last month after public comment, will take effect on March 16, 2025. Per the announcement, Thailands approval of USDT marks a pivotal step in the evolution of the countrys digital asset market. Thailand ranks among the top crypto-friendly nations, establishing clear and favorable regulations for the industry. Based on its pro-crypto regulations, it ranked 10th in the list of countries with the most crypto adoption. Tether CEO Reacts Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino emphasized the significance of the Thailand market to the companys business. According to him, the stablecoin issuer is consistently exploring ways to expand its product offerings in Thailand while offering a secure and reliable stablecoin experience for Thai users. We prioritize supporting the adoption and long-term success of stablecoins in Thailand. Consequently, we aim to contribute to the growth of the countrys digital asset ecosystem by fostering a strong and sustainable stablecoin infrastructure, Ardoino added. Tethers Latest Strides In the meantime, Tether has been making significant strides since the beginning of the year. Last month, The Crypto Basic reported that the company offered to acquire the majority stake in Latin American agricultural company Adecoagro. In January, the leading stablecoin issuer relocated its headquarters to the Bitcoin-friendly country, El Salvador. This comes after Tether acquired a license from authorities in El Salvador to operate as a digital asset service provider. Thailands SEC has approved USDT for trades and payments within the country, making 2025 a memorable year for Tether. Meanwhile, USDT remains the worlds largest stablecoin by market cap, valued at $142.9 billion at the time of writing. Notably, its approval in Thailand promotes its global significance, particularly in bridging digital economies with traditional systems.

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Tether Eyes Majority Stake in Latin American Agro Firm Adecoagro with $12.41 per Share Offer

Tether, the issuer of the worlds largest stablecoin USDT, is seeking to increase its stake in Latin American agricultural company Adecoagro. Adecoagro disclosed the development today, noting that it received an offer from a subsidiary of Tether to increase its stake to 51%. Tether had invested in Adecoagro on different occasions, including a $100 million investment in September 2024. It holds 19.4% of Adecoagro shares and is pushing to increase its stake to 51%. According to the announcement, the stablecoin issuer made a tender offer of $12.41 per share. This represents a 26.65% premium increase compared to the shares current trading price of $9.79. Following Tethers proposal, Adecoagros Board of Directors had an emergency meeting on February 16, 2025, to ascertain whether to accept the offer. They also engaged financial and legal experts to assess whether the offer aligns with shareholders interests. Next Move? If the experts conclude their assessment and give Adecoagro the green light to proceed, Tether will submit an official offer statement to the SEC. Afterward, the agro giant will also file a recommendation statement with the securities regulator. It is worth noting that Adecoagro is a prominent agricultural company in Latin America, operating in Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina. The company manages over 210,000 hectares of farmlands across these regions, producing several agricultural commodities. Its business also extends to renewable energy. Tether Eyes US Expansion Amid Tensed Competition in Stablecoin Market Meanwhile, Tethers USDT ranks as the largest stablecoin in the world, boasting a valuation of $141.73 billion. Competition in the stablecoin market has intensified recently, with top firms like Ripple and PayPal venturing into the sector. The PayPal USD stablecoin (PYUSD) is currently valued at $646.43 million. At the same time, the Ripple USD (RLUSD) has a market cap of $53.4 million. Nonetheless, Tether has continued to record significant growth, with the company declaring a profit of $10 billion in 2024. As a result, it revealed plans to expand its operations in the United States following its acquisition of a $775 million stake in the U.S.-based video-sharing platform Rumble Inc.

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Tether May Sell $8 Billion in Bitcoin Holdings to Address US Compliance Risks

Tether's substantial Bitcoin holdings and compliance with emerging U.S. stablecoin regulations have drawn the attention of financial analysts. Recent disclosures indicate that the stablecoin issuer holds approximately 83,759 BTC, valued at over $8.02 billion. This amount represents 0.4% of Bitcoins total supply. Meanwhile, latest analysis by JPMorgan has noted that maintaining such assets may pose regulatory challenges as new stablecoin policies take shape in the United States and Europe.Tethers Bitcoin Reserves and Compliance RisksTethers Bitcoin reserves increased on December 30, when a wallet associated with the company acquired 8,404 BTC worth $776.6 million. JPMorgan analysts have assessed Tethers reserve compliance with U.S. stablecoin regulations. They estimate that only 66% to 83% of its reserves meet proposed standards, marking a decline in compliance levels since mid-2024. The rise in stablecoin supply has contributed to this shift. Analysts suggest that regulatory adjustments could require the company to divest certain non-compliant assets, including Bitcoin, corporate notes, secured loans, and precious metals.Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino commented on social media platform X, suggesting that JPMorgan analysts' dissatisfaction stems from not holding Bitcoin. https://twitter.com/paoloardoino/status/1890012588559446245Proposed US Stablecoin RegulationsThe evolving U.S. stablecoin regulatory landscape presents varying requirements under different legislative proposals. The Senates GENIUS Act mandates federal oversight for stablecoins with a market capitalization exceeding $10 billion. It allows state-level regulation only if it aligns with federal guidelines. Meanwhile, the Houses STABLE Act offers more flexibility, permitting state regulation without additional conditions.Differences in reserve requirements also distinguish the two bills. The STABLE Act enforces stricter standards, limiting reserves to insured deposits, U.S. Treasury bills, short-term Treasury repos, and central bank reserves. The Senates version provides more leeway by including money market funds and reverse repos. Additionally, the Senate proposal prioritizes stablecoin holders in issuer bankruptcy cases, further shaping how issuers manage their reserves.Previous Regulatory Scrutiny Tether faces further regulatory scrutiny in Europe under the Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation. Per reports from last year, the law required stablecoin issuers to allocate at least 60% of reserves to European banks. Analysts indicated that Tethers reserve composition requires restructuring to comply with these regulations.The report highlighted past concerns regarding Tethers transparency in disclosing its reserve composition. The analysts suggested that new regulatory frameworks could increase pressure for greater financial disclosures and audits. Non-compliance with these rules may impact the stablecoin issuers market position as competition intensifies.

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Stablecoin Market Adds Nearly $17B in 2025: Heres Why This Can Be Bullish for Bitcoin and Crypto

The stablecoin market has grown in valuation recently, and this could be bullish for Bitcoin and other risk assets.The stablecoin market has expanded significantly in 2025, adding about $16.97 billion since the start of the year, according to blockchain analytics platform Glassnode.https://twitter.com/glassnode/status/1889294602856702202The firm revealed that the total stablecoin circulating supply has risen from about $194.2 billion to around $211.2 billion this year. Notably, this growth suggests increasing liquidity in the crypto market.  Stablecoin Growth Trends in 2025  However, Glassnode noted that stablecoin issuance has not been uniform throughout the year. In November and December 2024, the market grew by roughly $450 million every day. Nonetheless, the pace slowed in January 2025, averaging $400 million per day. This month, growth picked up again, with an average daily increase of $541 million.  Mid-January saw a notable spike, as the seven-day average stablecoin issuance moved above the 30-day simple moving average (SMA). This indicated renewed short-term demand, signaling that capital is flowing back into crypto.  Stablecoin Circulating Supply | GlassnodeFor context, several large stablecoin issuances have occurred over the past week alone. On Feb. 4, blockchain tracking platform Whale Alert reported that Tether minted 1 billion USDT in a single transaction. https://twitter.com/whale_alert/status/1886823605784240372Additionally, Circle, the issuer of USDC, minted 750 million USDC across three separate instances on Feb. 4, 6, and 7, with each issuance totaling 250 million USDC. Further, in total, Circle has created 1.057 billion USDC in February alone. Paxos, the issuer of PYUSD, also added 65 million PYUSD to the supply this month. USDT Dominates the Stablecoin Market Despite MiCA ChallengesNotably, the stablecoin market capitalization has now grown to $230 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. Tether continues to lead, with a market cap of $141.9 billion, despite facing regulatory issues under the European Union's MiCA framework, which has led to delistings.  USDC follows with a market capitalization of $56.2 billion. Ethena USDe (USDe) ranks third with $6 billion, while Dai (DAI) holds the fourth position with $5.3 billion. Why Stablecoin Growth Can Be Bullish for Bitcoin and Crypto  The increasing stablecoin supply is often a precursor to higher buying pressure in the crypto market. When investors hold more stablecoins, they usually position themselves to buy risk assets, which can drive prices higher.  Meanwhile, Santiment recently reported that crypto traders had shifted their attention toward Bitcoin and Layer-1 blockchains, such as Cardano, Toncoin, Solana, and Ethereum. https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1889065568101413148These assets collectively account for 44.2% of discussions in the crypto community. Meanwhile, interest in meme coins like Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe has declined.  According to Santiment, this change leads to a more stable market environment. Meme coins typically thrive on speculative hype, but when the focus moves to Bitcoin and Layer 1 networks, it suggests a more mature and sustainable growth phase. Historically, excessive speculation in meme coins has preceded market corrections. In contrast, rising interest in core blockchain infrastructure often points to a stronger foundation for long-term growth.

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Tether Loads Reserve With Fresh 8,404 BTC Worth $776M After Months of Inactivity

Leading stablecoin issuer Tether has rekindled its drive to stack Bitcoin after shifting millions worth of the premier asset to its reserve wallet on Monday.According to market intelligence platform Arkham, an address marked as the Tether Bitcoin reserve amassed 8,404 BTC worth $776.6 million on Monday. The data confirmed that the wallet received the assets from two separate addresses.Tether Acquires New BitcoinsThe first transaction happened around 14:01 (UTC), with Tether receiving 7,629 BTC ($705 million) from crypto exchange Bitfinexs hot wallet. An hour later, the wallet tied to the stablecoin issuer gulped another 775.56 BTC from the address bc1qh, totaling 8,404 BTC ($776.6 million).Tether Bitcoin PurchaseTether Bitcoin PurchaseMeanwhile, Tethers Monday purchase took its total holdings to 83,759 BTC, worth $7.77 billion. With the latest buy-in, the issuer is now the second-largest privately owned Bitcoin holding company, just below blockchain firm Block.one.Moreover, this is Tethers first notable transaction in nine months. The last transaction on its Bitcoin reserve wallet was on March 31, when it purchased 8,888 BTC ($618 million).Another Corporate Firm Acquires BitcoinNotably, Tether had pledged to periodically buy into Bitcoin, a testament to its belief in the crypto firstborn. On May 17, 2023, the USDT issuer announced it would dedicate 15% of its net realized operating profit to diversifying into the crypto asset.Meanwhile, several corporate entities have flocked to Bitcoin since then, with its adoption hitting a fever pitch. Most recently, firms like Kurl Technology, Matador, and Rumble have opted to strategically store their reserve asset in Bitcoin amidst growing economic instability.Furthermore, traditional names like MicroStrategy, Marathon Digital, and Metapanet have incessantly piled into Bitcoin, leveraging several debt instruments to increase their exposure to the pioneering cryptocurrency. For instance, the Michael Saylor-chairmaned MicroStrategy acquired 2,138 BTC ($209 million) yesterday, its eighth consecutive weekly purchase.

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Tether Blacklists Address Linked to Roost Coin Amid Possible Connection to $22M NFT Fraud

According to blockchain security firm PeckShield, Tether has added the Ethereum address "0x88E6...4d47" to its blacklist. The blacklisted wallet reportedly holds 13.144 million USDT on Ethereum and 2.66 million ROOST tokens on Base. Moreover, this address received 150 ETH in multiple transactions from "0x71B2...18a6," an entity known to have removed ROOST/WETH liquidity on the Base blockchain approximately nine months ago.Meanwhile, blockchain sleuth ZachXBT recently highlighted a possible link between the blacklisting and a recent indictment against two California men: Gabriel Hay and Gavin Mayo. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused them of orchestrating a $22 million rug pull across multiple NFT and digital asset projects. Among the projects listed in the DOJ report is Roost Coin, a token now tied to the blacklisted address.https://twitter.com/zachxbt/status/1871760292159574389The $22M Rug Pull ScandalLast Friday, the DOJ unsealed a six-count indictment against Hay and Mayo, charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and stalking. From May 2021 to May 2024, the duo allegedly defrauded investors by promoting fraudulent NFT projects with false claims. These include the now-infamous Vault of Gems, Faceless, and Roost Coin. Instead of delivering on their promises, Hay and Mayo are accused of abandoning the projects after raising millions.In their schemes, Hay and Mayo allegedly concealed their involvement by falsely naming others as project leaders. Notably, when a project manager exposed their role in the Faceless NFT project, the duo allegedly launched a harassment campaign against the individual and their family.The Blockchain TrailThe blacklisted address's connection to ROOST tokens and its ties to liquidity removal on Base further deepen suspicions surrounding Roost Coins involvement in the fraudulent operations. Tether blacklisting the wallet may be part of broader efforts to disrupt the financial networks of those implicated in the fraud case.Notably, the last time PeckShieldAlert reported Tether blacklisting a wallet was in connection with addresses involved in the theft of thousands of USDT tokens from the FixedFloat exchange hack seven months ago.

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USDT Flows Now Shaping Crypto Market Dynamics: Heres How

Data confirms Tether (USDT) flows have continued to shape the dynamics of the crypto market amid the ongoing bull run.In recent weeks, the crypto market has been awash with excitement as digital assets, led by Bitcoin, continue to surge to new highs. Behind these rising prices is a surge in demand, reflected in stablecoin flows, particularly USDT.Crypto analyst "IT Tech" recently highlighted this pattern. In an X post on Wednesday, December 11, the analyst pointed out that USDT activity has risen alongside Bitcoin's price.The correlation comes as stablecoin activity often offers insight into market sentiment. For example, increased flows to exchanges can often signal growing market demand, and this has been the case in 2024. Per an IntoTheBlock chart shared by IT Tech, these flows have risen to almost $40 billion this year.At the same time, the number of active USDT addresses has risen alongside Bitcoin's price. Specifically, active USDT addresses rose sharply in 2024, from around 100,000 in January to nearly 350,000 in December.The same trend is observable with USDT's transaction count. This metric has risen nearly fivefold from just above 5 million to nearly 25 million as Bitcoin's price increased.Commenting on the data, IT Tech argued that it highlighted broader market participation and the increasingly important role of stablecoins in liquidity and trading.Interestingly, USDT's dominant role is also reflected in its market cap. The frequently quoted figure has nearly doubled in 2024, from $91.7 billion at the start of the year to $139 billion.

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Tether CEO Denies Claims US DOJ is Investigating the Firm

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has debunked claims that the US Department of Justice (DoJ) is investigating the stablecoin issuer, calling…

The post Tether CEO Denies Claims US DOJ is Investigating the Firm first appeared on The Crypto Basic.

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MiCA Now Fully Live: Heres What That Means for the Crypto Industry

The European Union's crypto regulatory framework MiCA goes into full force, heralding significant changes for the industry.Major events like the ICO boom and the implosions of Terra and FTX have made it impossible for regulators and lawmakers to ignore the crypto industry, especially as its adoption continues to grow. Leading the charge in the effort to foster responsible innovation is the European Union, with its Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework, which passed in April 2023 after nearly three years of development.While the implementation of the rules was phased, with rules targeting stablecoin issuers coming into force in June 2024, all parts of the framework have now entered into force since December 30, 2024. Here's what MiCA brings to the table and how it is reshaping the EU's crypto landscape.What is MiCA?The primary goal of MiCA is to ensure consumer protection in crypto while offering regulatory certainty for companies across the 27-member bloc. MiCA tries to achieve this by setting transparency and accountability standards for crypto asset issuers and crypto asset service providers (CASPs). The rules allow market participants to obtain licensing in one country and passport their services across the bloc.Key MiCA ProvisionsFor crypto asset issuers, the rules mean new disclosure requirements. Specifically, before introducing a new asset, issuers must draft a detailed whitepaper containing key details about its tokenomics, risks, and consensus mechanism.This whitepaper must be submitted to a national authority that does not have to explicitly approve the token launch but reserves the power to block it. At the same time, these issuers must also comply with marketing disclosures.Requirements for stablecoin issuers, however, go beyond these disclosure obligations. They must obtain electronic money institution (EMI) licenses, which impose significant Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know-Your-Customer (KYC), and audit obligations.The law also imposes high stablecoin requirements regarding liquidity, redemption, and wind-down procedures and outlaws algorithmic stablecoins.For CASPs, MiCA means implementing robust KYC systems, establishing custody policies for the safekeeping of customer funds, and implementing robust market abuse detection and reporting systems.Beyond these, MiCA also places a de-facto ban on privacy coins.Which Companies are Affected by MiCA?MiCA impacts every crypto issuer or service provider operating within or offering services to EU residents. These include stablecoin providers like Circle and Tether, exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken, and even custodians such as BitGo.Tether in FocusBy far, the major talking point to come out of MiCA's passing has been its implications for the EU's stablecoin landscape, especially as Tether, the largest stablecoin issuer, has not pursued a license in the bloc, unlike its biggest competitor, Circle.As a result, several crypto exchanges have moved to delist Tether USD (USDT) and Euro Tether (EURT) as part of efforts to obtain licensing in the region. While it is unclear whether Tether will reverse its decision in the future, MiCA's coming into force has likely contributed to the $2 billion decline in USDT's market cap over the past two days from nearly $139 billion to about $137 billion.Companies Still Have TimeEven though MiCA is now entirely in force, the law grants firms a window of grace to process licensing applications.For stablecoin issuers, this window was set at 12 months from the law's implementation, which gives companies until June 2025, as parts of the rules targeting stablecoins came into force in June 2024.For CASPs, this window was set at 18 months, giving firms till June 2026 to obtain licensing or cease operations in the EU.Meanwhile, even as firms race to comply with MiCA, regulators are already considering an update to cover DeFi and NFTs.

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