Tether also targets becoming one of the top 10 global U.S. Treasury bill buyers in 2026, a major move in expanding its stablecoin reserve strategy as regulatory pressures continue to mount.
Tether’s U.S. CEO Bo Hines affirming the company is increasing its holdings of short-term government securities to meet the newly passed GENIUS Act, a federal regulatory framework requiring all regulated stablecoins to maintain 1:1 reserves of high-quality liquid assets such as U.S. Treasury bills.
USDT Reserves Exceed $122 Billion in T-Bills
USDT continues to be the largest stablecoin in the world, with around $185 billion in circulation, as per its latest attestation. Tether’s latest attestation reveals that 83.11% of its reserves, or over $122 billion, are held in U.S. Treasury bills.
If this growth is maintained, Tether may soon enter the top 10 international holders of T-bills, which would put it among the ranks of countries in the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of foreign holders. Hines said that it is already in the top 20.
The expansion of reserves also comes as the company launches USAT, a GENIUS-compliant stablecoin, through Anchorage Digital Bank. Hines said that the interoperability of USDT and USAT will help in achieving regulatory alignment in the United States.
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Tether Launches USAT to Strengthen U.S. Regulatory Compliance
Tether has announced that it has $6.3 billion in excess reserves, which were audited by accounting firm BDO. The company also holds 140 tons of gold reserves as part of its diversified reserve management.
The development is indicative of the growing institutionalization of the stablecoin market. Rival company Circle, which issues USDC, also has substantial Treasury exposure, which highlights the fact that major stablecoin issuers are increasingly becoming part of the U.S. debt market.
Analysts say that the massive Treasury holdings of stablecoin issuers could have an impact on short-term debt demand and help to boost confidence in reserve-backed digital currencies.
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