Tether to launch native USDT on Bitcoin via RGB protocol

Tether, the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin, is preparing to launch a native version of its USDT token directly on the Bitcoin blockchain within weeks. The move, facilitated by the RGB protocol and led by the software company UTEXO, marks a strategic return to the network where USDT first launched over a decade ago.

The rollout follows the recent mainnet release of RGB protocol version v0.11.1. UTEXO, which raised $7.5 million in a seed round co-led by Tether in March, is building the commercial infrastructure for the launch, including APIs, software development kits, and a live mint bridge for moving USDT across different blockchains. The company's co-founder, Viktor Ihnatiuk, framed the development as ending a long separation between Bitcoin and USDT.

Technically, the integration is made possible by RGB's core innovation of client-side validation. Unlike on networks like Ethereum or Tron, where every transaction is publicly verified, RGB keeps transaction details private between the parties involved. Transfers are anchored to Bitcoin's transaction model to prevent double-spending, with only a small cryptographic commitment recorded on the public Bitcoin blockchain....