Just as Bitcoin surged back above the $100,000 mark, Tether—the world’s leading stablecoin issuer—minted another 2 billion USDT on the Tron blockchain. However, CEO Paolo Ardoino emphasized that the newly minted tokens are merely for inventory purposes, not a direct response to recent geopolitical tensions or market fluctuations.
Minted but Not Yet Circulating
Less than a week after issuing 1 billion USDT, Tether has once again caught the crypto community’s attention by minting an additional 2 billion USDT on Tron. According to Whale Alert, the minting occurred in two separate transactions of 1 billion USDT each, just minutes apart.
Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, quickly clarified that the tokens are “authorized but not issued” and will be held as inventory for future use, such as issuance requests or chain swaps.
“This is an authorized but not issued transaction, meaning this amount will be used as inventory for upcoming issuance requests and chain swaps,” Ardoino said.
Despite Tether’s explanation that the move is part of routine operations, many traders see it as a signal that the market could be gearing up for a major move. Previously, when Tether minted 1 billion USDT and transferred a portion to Bitfinex—an exchange closely linked to Tether—similar speculation emerged.
Historically, Tether’s USDT minting has often preceded price rallies, as it typically signals the inflow of fiat capital into the crypto market. The movement of newly minted USDT to exchanges or OTC desks frequently hints at large-scale Bitcoin purchases by institutional players.
Bitcoin Breaks $100K Again
Reports of Tether’s fresh minting appear to have given Bitcoin a boost, helping it recover from a brief dip below $100,000 triggered by fears of an Iranian retaliation on U.S. soil. At press time, Bitcoin is trading around $100,900, regaining some of its recent losses.
Meanwhile, altcoins are also slowly rebounding after a sharp market correction that saw over $1.1 billion in liquidations.
Notably, the stablecoin race has only intensified following the passage of the GENIUS Act. Alongside Tether, players like Circle and Ripple are ramping up their stablecoin issuance to capitalize on the more favorable regulatory environment.
