Tether’s 140-Ton Gold Hoard Signals Emergence as a Gold Central Bank

Stablecoin giant Tether has amassed 140 tons of gold, signaling plans to become a leading gold central bank with mining bets and a gold-backed stablecoin.

Rich by Coin

2026-01-28

In this precious metals frenzy, an “invisible big player” has unexpectedly come into view: stablecoin giant Tether has quietly acquired 140 tons of gold reserves. The company is purchasing gold at a rate of 1 to 2 tons per week and aims to become one of the world’s largest “gold central banks,” with plans to actively trade its reserves and compete with major banks like JPMorgan Chase. Tether’s expansion includes investing in gold mining companies, launching a gold-backed stablecoin (XAU₮), and building a dedicated gold trading operation, making it a significant and unconventional force in the commodities market. This aggressive strategy is funded by immense profits, with Tether earning roughly $15 billion in net profit in 2025, primarily from its dominant USDT stablecoin business and holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds.

Beyond gold, Tether is a major Bitcoin holder and is expanding into new markets, including launching a federally regulated U.S. stablecoin (USAT) and investing in diverse sectors like AI and telecommunications. “We will soon become one of the world’s largest ‘gold central banks’,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in a recent interview with Bloomberg, making no secret of his ambition. To date, Tether has stockpiled approximately 140 tons of physical gold, worth about $23 billion at current prices. Tether has built mining farms, invested in mining companies, and established DAT (crypto treasury), expanding its industry influence.

Fortune reports that Tether earned about $15 billion in net profit in 2025, driven by its USDT stablecoin business and holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds. Today, USDT is the most widely used stablecoin with over 500 million users, and its circulating supply nears $187 billion. On January 27, Tether launched USAT, a federally regulated stablecoin issued by Anchorage Digital Bank, with Cantor Fitzgerald as reserve custodian and Bo Hines as CEO. Tether holds approximately $135 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds and since 2023 has allocated up to 15% of its monthly net profit to Bitcoin, accumulating more than 96,000 BTC.