Tether’s USDT Reaches 500 Million Users, Dominates 58% of Stablecoin Market

This Article Was First Published on Deythere. Updated on 22nd October, 2025

Tether’s USDT stablecoin, issued by Tether Limited, has officially hit 500 million users worldwide. The company’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, calls the feat “likely the biggest financial inclusion achievement in history.” 

Based on reports, this Tether stablecoin user milestone equates to approximately 6.25 % of the global population. USDT market cap is now around $182 billion and 58% of the stablecoin market.

The Milestone and What It Means

Tether had announced recently that USDT has surpassed 500 million users globally, representing “real people” not just wallet addresses.

According to Ardoino’s post on X, this is “the biggest financial inclusion achievement in history”.

With 8 billion people in the world, this amounts to 6.25%. In the same release, the company said USDT circulating supply is around $182 billion.

USDT continues to dominate the stablecoin market with 58% share, followed by USDC at $76.8 billion. The user milestone reflects everyday usage in payments and savings, especially in underserved regions.

Tether cited Kenya as an example, where small businesses pay for imports and residents store value in USDT due to severe inflation.

According to the World Bank, 1.4 billion adults globally don’t have access to bank accounts. As a result, this is a noteworthy moment for digital dollars being adopted outside of trading and entering real world financial systems.

Emerging Markets and Financial Inclusion Impact

This Tether stablecoin milestone is mainly driven by grassroots adoption in emerging markets. Tether’s documentary on Kenya shows how USDT is used “not for speculation, but for survival”. In countries where local currencies are inflating or banking access is limited, stablecoins offer an alternative.

Tether reported that 37% of USDT users hold it as a store of value.

Its market leading position provides a tool for remittances, cross border payments, merchant adoption and treasury usage in developing economies. 

While the user base has grown rapidly from 400 million earlier in 2025 to 500 million in 7 months, regulation, competition and transparency are structural challenges.

Market Size, Dominance and Competition

As USDT hits the user milestone, its size in the market becomes unmistakable. With around $182 billion in circulation and 58% of the stablecoin market, Tether is dominant in absolute terms. By comparison, USDC is at $76.8 billion.

This dominance is combined with a deep integration in crypto exchanges, DeFi protocols, payment systems and the platforms that issue tokens.

Despite the regulatory pressures, particularly coming from Europe’s MiCA framework which has forced a number of stablecoin delistings, Tether keeps on going forward, especially outside of Europe.

Now; Tether itself is taking steps to really push the boundaries; such as launching a new payments partner focused on Africa (Kotani Pay) to help get USDT into the local markets. 

Conclusion

Tether stablecoin user milestone of 500 million users is a big one. It shows that stablecoins are actually being used by real people around the world to get by in places where they don’t have access to good finance.

With USDT’s market size, dominance, and the fact that it is actually being used for real transactions in real life, Tether has set the bar higher for the stablecoin space. The challenge now is to turn all that scale into actual, sustainable infrastructure and real regulatory alignment.

Glossary

Stablecoin: A digital token pegged to fiat currency (e.g., US dollar); designed for price stability and everyday transactions.

Financial inclusion: Access to useful and affordable financial services (payments; savings; credit); for underserved populations.

Market share: The proportion of total market demand or circulation; held by a given issuer or product.

Emerging markets: Economies with developing financial infrastructure; where stablecoins may have outsized impact.

Reserve transparency: The degree to which issuers disclose or audit assets backing a stablecoin.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tether Stablecoin Milestone

What does “user” mean in this milestone?

Tether said the 500 million figure refers to “real people” not just wallet addresses.

Why is 500 million users important?

It shows scale, network effect and adoption beyond trading; stablecoins for payments and financial inclusion.

Where is most of the growth happening?

Most of the growth is in emerging markets such as Africa; Southeast Asia; Latin America; where traditional banking is limited.

Does this reduce regulatory scrutiny?

Not necessarily. Scale may bring more regulatory attention especially on reserves, auditing and systemic risk.