Tether CEO announces new era for stablecoins
Tether CEO predicts stablecoin user base will reach one billion.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has proclaimed the start of a new era in the digital asset space—what he calls the “stablecoin multiverse”—marked by a proliferation of stablecoin solutions from both private entities and governments.
In a March 27 post on X (formerly Twitter), Ardoino said the industry is witnessing a surge in global demand for stablecoins and predicted Tether’s user base could grow from 400 million to one billion in the near future.
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A Bold Forecast Meets Regulatory Reality
Despite Ardoino’s optimism, industry voices are casting doubt on both the scope and speed of stablecoin adoption. Slava Demchuk, CEO of crypto compliance firm AMLBot, pushed back against claims of hundreds of new stablecoin launches. He argued that launching and maintaining a stablecoin is a “complex and resource-intensive” process, particularly under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA).
MiCA imposes strict prudential standards—including capital reserves, liquidity requirements, and governance protocols—that many issuers may find difficult to meet. Demchuk also warned that regulatory inconsistencies worldwide risk pushing stablecoin providers to operate in less transparent jurisdictions, potentially undermining consumer protections.
Tether Faces Mounting Pressure in the EU
Adding to the scrutiny, Tether’s flagship USDt stablecoin was recently delisted for users in the European Economic Area (EEA) by major exchanges including Binance, Kraken, Crypto.com, and Coinbase. The move was reportedly linked to MiCA compliance issues. A Tether spokesperson called the delistings “disappointing,” but industry observers say it highlights the growing pressure on issuers to adapt or face market exclusion.
Vasily Vidmanov, COO of compliance protocol PureFi, questioned Ardoino’s user growth projection, citing reputational risks, ongoing U.S. investigations into Tether’s compliance with sanctions and anti-money laundering regulations, and the impact of the EU delistings. He pointed to a noticeable uptick in swaps between USDT and rival stablecoin USDC following the EEA market shift.
“Achieving the projected figures within the next one to two years seems unlikely unless there are significant shifts in global policy and a substantial influx of new users from underpenetrated crypto markets,” Vidmanov said.
The Road Ahead for Stablecoins
While Ardoino asserts that Tether’s grassroots approach gives it an edge over traditional finance players, skeptics argue that adoption at scale will hinge not only on demand, but also on regulatory clarity and trust.
As global regulators move toward more comprehensive stablecoin frameworks, the path to a “stablecoin multiverse” may depend less on sheer issuance volume and more on the ability of issuers to navigate a fast-evolving—and increasingly fragmented—compliance landscape.
Recently we wrote, that stablecoins adoption soars as active wallets and transfer volumes surge.
