Tether, one of the issuers of USDT, has officially announced its entry into the U.S. market with a customized, compliant dollar-pegged stablecoin designed specifically for the American market. This launch is expected to disrupt the stablecoin landscape, putting pressure on competitors like Circle, while also testing the balance between privacy protection and regulatory requirements.

Colin Butler, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Markets at Mega Matrix, stated: “USAT is a hedge-and-expand move. It gives Tether a U.S.-regulated rail for banks, fintechs, and corporates while preserving USDT's offshore reach."

On Friday, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino presided over the long-awaited launch of USAT. Positioned as a "U.S.-compliant stablecoin," this new token is designed to enable Tether—the world's largest issuer of dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies (USDT)—to legally access the U.S. market. Anchorage Digital Bank will be responsible for issuing USAT, while Cantor Fitzgerald will hold the assets backing the new stablecoin. USAT is expected to go live before the end of this year.

This move signals Tether's desire to align with U.S. regulators after years of regulatory scrutiny. The company has appointed former White House official Bo Hines as CEO of its U.S. subsidiary—a decision that can also be seen as a move to align more closely with the crypto-friendly Trump administration. Additionally, until recently, Cantor Fitzgerald was led by Howard Lutnick, who served as Commerce Secretary under the Trump administration.

Butler emphasized that Tether's decision to issue the new token through Anchorage Digital Bank and entrust Cantor Fitzgerald with overseeing USAT's reserve assets "demonstrates its 'compliance-first' stance". He also noted that labeling USAT as a "non-yielding token" will help ensure the cryptocurrency complies with U.S. legal requirements.

Matthew Tabbiner, CEO of stablecoin firm Stable, pointed out: "Tether's scale and size are sufficient to influence the development of U.S. cryptocurrency regulations and infrastructure. This launch symbolizes a systemic shift toward stablecoins becoming 'everyday universal currencies.'"

Tether's plan to enter the U.S. market has been in the works for months.

Earlier this year, shortly after President Trump took office and signaled a government "open to cryptocurrency," Ardoino first mentioned the potential launch of a U.S.-compliant stablecoin during his visit to the United States—his first as Tether CEO. During his trip, Ardoino also conducted a series of media interviews aimed at conveying Tether's willingness to "operate compliantly" to institutional investors and lawmakers. In many ways, the launch of USAT is a critical step by Ardoino to gain a foothold in the lucrative U.S. market.

For years, Tether has sought to shed the negative perception of its "complex past." Critics have long accused bad actors of using USDT for illicit activities and have questioned the transparency of Tether's reserve assets. The company has faced prolonged scrutiny from regulators and law enforcement, including a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into whether its tokens were used to facilitate illegal transactions. Despite this, USDT has grown to become the most traded stablecoin in the world.