Tether’s USDT stablecoin has secured regulatory recognition as an approved fiat-referenced token across a wide range of blockchains inside the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking another step in the UAE’s accelerating push to position itself as a global center for regulated digital assets.
Key Takeaways:
- ADGM now recognizes USDT across multiple major blockchains for regulated use.
- Tether says the move highlights stablecoins’ growing role in modern finance.
- The update comes as Binance also secures full ADGM authorization, boosting Abu Dhabi’s crypto ambitions.
In a statement on Monday, Tether said ADGM now permits licensed institutions in the financial free zone to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and TRON.
These approvals expand on earlier recognition for USDT on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche, broadening the stablecoin’s jurisdictional and technical reach across the region.
ADGM Move Validates Stablecoins’ Financial Importance
Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, said the move underscores the role of stablecoins in the modern financial system.
“Introducing USDT within ADGM’s regulated digital asset framework reinforces the role of stablecoins as essential components of today’s financial landscape,” he said, adding that extending recognition across multiple chains helps strengthen Abu Dhabi’s standing as a hub for compliant digital finance.
ADGM operates as a special economic zone and international financial center with its own legal, regulatory and judicial system.
Its Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) oversees licensing and supervision for firms active within the jurisdiction.
Under the newly issued recognition, ADGM-licensed entities can support USDT across nearly all major chains where the token circulates, creating a broader multichain foundation for settlement, trading and decentralized-application activity.
The announcement arrives as Abu Dhabi intensifies its campaign to attract global digital-asset firms.
On the same day, Binance disclosed that it has secured full authorization to operate its flagship Binance.com platform under ADGM oversight, a milestone that comes after years of regulatory scrutiny.
Binance will operate through three distinct legal entities in the zone, an exchange, a clearing house and a broker-dealer, reflecting a traditional financial-market structure designed to enable regulated trading, custody, settlement and off-exchange services.
Co-CEO Richard Teng said the approval demonstrates Binance’s adherence to what he described as ADGM’s “gold-standard” regulatory expectations.
Pending final operational steps, Binance.com is slated to begin regulated activity under the ADGM regime on Jan. 5, 2026, reinforcing the UAE capital’s strategy of pairing stringent oversight with an open stance toward digital-asset innovation.
Tether Pushes Back as Arthur Hayes Flags Insolvency Risks
As reported, Tether has faced renewed scrutiny after BitMEX founder Arthur Hayes warned that a 30% decline in the company’s Bitcoin and gold holdings could erase its equity.
However, CoinShares’ James Butterfill rejected the alarm, noting that Tether holds more than $181 billion in reserves against $174.45 billion in liabilities, leaving a surplus of roughly $6.78 billion.
His comments arrive amid broader market unrest tied to volatility in Japanese bonds and weak US labor data.
CEO Paolo Ardoino also directly challenged Hayes’s claims, revealing that Tether Group’s total assets are closer to $215 billion, supported by around $7 billion in excess equity and an additional $23 billion in retained earnings.
He emphasized that Bitcoin and gold make up only 12.6% of reserves, with more than 70% held in short-term US Treasuries.
Ardoino accused critics of misreading the company’s attestation data, pointing to Tether’s roughly $500 million per month in interest income.
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