Tether, the company behind the USDT stablecoin, has moved roughly 80 tons of gold—about $8 billion worth—into its own vault in Switzerland.
According to a report, CEO Paolo Ardoino says this private vault is “the most secure in the world.” He added that gold “should logically be a safer asset than any national currency.” This step follows Tether’s earlier move to hold 7.7 tons of gold, bringing its total to around 80 tons since its March report.
Tether’s Swiss Vault Move
Tether set up its own vault to cut the high fees that outside operators charge, reports disclosed. Ardoino noted that if Tether Gold token grows to $100 billion in circulation, paying 50 basis points in custody fees would be a lot of money.
Tether is storing 80 metric tons of gold in Switzerland… and refusing to comply with EU regulations.
Coincidence, or calculated strategy?
As the MiCA regulation takes effect across the EU, one thing’s certain: @Tether_to isn’t playing by Europe’s rules
Tether has… pic.twitter.com/wChVJsQv93
— GRM (@GRM_Web3) July 8, 2025
Running a single facility can bring down overhead, he said, and make it easier to add more gold in future. It also gives the company a headline‑grabbing way to show tangible backing for part of its stablecoin reserves.
Beyond Precious Metals
Tether’s holdings go beyond gold. According to the firm’s Q1 2025 report, it had almost $100 billion in US Treasury bonds. Total reserves vary depending on which figure is used—$112 billion as of March attestation or nearly $160 billion based on USDT’s market cap last month. Either way, gold makes up under 5% of the total backing claimed for USDT.
Gold Makes Up Small Share
Market data shows USDT reached close to a $160 billion market cap and accounts for 62% of the $250 billion stablecoin sector. Yet gold is still a minor piece of that puzzle.
Precious metals sit alongside fiat and bonds, not in place of them. The move to centralize gold is a sign that Tether wants to diversify its reserve mix. It also mirrors wider trends: central banks, especially in BRICS countries, have been buying gold, and investor flows into gold ETFs have picked up after prices hit multi‑year highs.
Tether’s gold reserves now match the precious metals and commodities exposure of major banks, according to a Bloomberg report. That comparison puts the scale of 80 tons into perspective. But it also underscores how small 80 tons is next to the trillions held by governments and large banks.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
