Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino Concludes His First Visit to the United States

Paolo Ardoino ended his first visit to the United States, where he met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of stablecoin regulation.

The Chief Operating Officer at Tether, Paolo Ardoino, has concluded his inaugural visit to the United States, engaging in a series of meetings with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to discuss the future of stablecoin regulation.

According to a recent interview with American crypto news outlet Blockaver, Ardoino's discussions with members of the Senate and House focused on devising legislation that balances national security concerns with the promotion of global financial inclusion.

Highlighting global efforts to challenge U.S. dollar hegemony, Ardoino made a case for stablecoin rules that not only protect consumers but crucially also support the dollar's continued adoption internationally – a role he posits Tether's USDT is already playing.

"We talked about how U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins could be a part of the U.S. financial system hegemony and how they could expand the financial system's access to other parts of the world," one Democratic staffer reportedly told Punchbowl News of the mood in lawmakers' offices towards stablecoins.

Ardoino detailed the strong global demand for U.S. dollars, stating that Tether serves over 400 million users worldwide.

He explained that many use USDT for savings and payments in regions with unstable local currencies, citing Turkey and Argentina as examples.

While stablecoins in the U.S. are often viewed as a convenience, Ardoino highlighted their role as major financial tools outside the country.

Lawmakers reportedly showed interest in how dollar-backed stablecoins could be a part of the U.S. financial system hegemony and how they could expand the financial system's access to other parts of the world.

However, while expressing support for the push for regulation, Ardoino cautioned against the potential pitfalls of poorly crafted U.S. laws that might unintentionally block non-U.S. entities from accessing dollar stablecoins.

He pointed to Europe's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework as a cautionary example, stating that its broad restrictions led to Tether being removed from some European platforms following the enactment of the framework.

In contrast, he stressed Tether's deep commitment to the U.S. system, noting that the company keeps its reserves in U.S. financial institutions and cooperates fully with U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DOJ.

Ardoino also mentioned the possibility of Tether issuing a U.S.-specific stablecoin designed for domestic institutions and payments. He explained that use cases vary by region, noting that while people outside the U.S. are more likely to use stablecoins for savings, U.S. residents are more likely to use them for transactions.

"Maybe we can create a specific product for the U.S. to be used by fiat institutions and for payments, which is more in line with how people use it in the U.S.," he said.

Beyond stablecoins, Tether has been investing in Bitcoin mining and artificial intelligence, reportedly developing privacy-focused AI tools for smartphones.

Ardoino projects that stablecoin adoption could reach $1 trillion by 2030, driven by geopolitical shifts and machine-to-machine transactions involving robots and smart contracts. He added that Tether will soon launch support for the Lightning Network, further strengthening its presence within the Bitcoin infrastructure.