Tether Brings USDT Back to Bitcoin with Private Transfers and Swaps

Tether's flagship stablecoin USDT is set to return to its origins on the Bitcoin network. After nearly a decade spent primarily on Ethereum and Tron, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino announced in September 2026 that the relaunch is planned for October 2026 through an infrastructure project called Utexo.

The technical foundation combines two pieces: the RGB protocol and Bitcoin's UTXO model. The RGB protocol allows assets to ride on top of Bitcoin using client-side validation, which means most transaction information never lands on the public blockchain.

Users will be able to send USDT privately, swap directly between BTC and USDT without intermediaries, and take out loans using native Bitcoin as collateral. The initial launch is planned for Bitcoin's mainnet, with support for the Lightning Network expected to follow later.