Tether Holds 150,000 Bitcoin, CEO Says—About 50,000 More Than Its Reserve Report Shows
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the company holds about 150,000 BTC, worth roughly $11.5 billion. Its third-quarter reserve attestation implies around 100,060 BTC, leaving roughly 50,000 BTC not accounted for in those disclosures. Ardoino did not explain where the additional coins are held or when they were acquired, and said nothing indicating a recent purchase of that scale. Tether says corporate Bitcoin holdings are separate from USDT reserves. The company has committed up to 15% of net realized operating profits to Bitcoin and reported $1.5 billion in third-quarter operating profit. Its Q3 attestation showed $191.45 billion in assets against $183.50 billion in liabilities, with U.S. Treasury bills the largest reserve component. Tether has begun its first full financial audit with KPMG amid longstanding scrutiny of its stablecoin backing.
