Tether, the issuer of USDT, has announced the launch of a new U.S.-specific stablecoin called USAT, designed to comply with the recently passed GENIUS Act. The company has appointed Bo Hines, former executive director of the White House's digital assets working group and crypto advisor to President Donald Trump, as CEO of its American division. Hines, who began advising Tether in August after leaving the Trump administration, will lead USAT operations from Charlotte, North Carolina.
The new stablecoin will be issued by Anchorage Digital, with Cantor Fitzgerald serving as the reserve custodian and preferred primary dealer. USAT is specifically designed for U.S. businesses and institutions requiring regulatory compliance, operating under Tether's proprietary Hadron tokenization platform. The token is expected to launch by the end of 2025.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino emphasized that while USDT will continue serving global markets, USAT represents the company's commitment to ensuring the dollar "not only remains dominant, but thrives" in the digital age. The announcement was made at an event in Manhattan attended by prominent political figures including Rep. Bryan Steil, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and Hines' White House successor Patrick Witt.
Ardoino also revealed Tether's ambition to become "the biggest Bitcoin miner in the world by the end of this year," signaling the company's expanding ecosystem beyond stablecoins.