Key Takeaways:
Stablecoin issuer Tether on April 14, 2026, launched its first direct-to-consumer product, a self-custodial digital wallet named tether.wallet, after 12 years of operating as a B2B infrastructure provider.
"For twelve years, Tether has been the world's most used stablecoin issuer – the infrastructure layer that hundreds of millions of people depend on without ever interacting with directly," the company said in its announcement. "Today that changes."
The new wallet brings Tether's financial infrastructure directly into users' hands, supporting over 12 different cryptocurrencies, including its flagship USDT stablecoin. The launch is a significant expansion of Tether's ecosystem, which has historically focused on providing liquidity to exchanges like Bitfinex and Kraken.
This move into self-custody could significantly increase competition for existing wallet providers like MetaMask and Trust Wallet and may drive broader adoption of self-custody among crypto users. By creating a native platform for its users, Tether could strengthen the utility and network effect of USDT, potentially increasing its dominance in the stablecoin market.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
