The world’s largest stablecoin issuer is diversifying its war chest.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino revealed that the company plans to allocate 10%–15% of its investment portfolio to physical gold, alongside a ~10% allocation to Bitcoin. With profits expected to exceed $10 billion in 2026, Tether is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most significant buyers of bullion.
💰 THE GOLD HOARD:
- Current Holdings: Tether already holds ~130 metric tons of physical gold (stored in Switzerland).
- Buying Pace: The firm has been acquiring approximately 2 tons per week.
- The Performance: The timing has been impeccable. Gold prices surged 64% last year and are up 22% YTD in 2026, hitting a record $5,311/oz.
🌍 THE MACRO VIEW: Ardoino cites geopolitical fear and falling confidence in the US Dollar as the drivers.
- “The world is not in a happy place at this moment… Gold is making all-time highs every single day. Why? Because everyone is scared.”
- He compares the choice between Bitcoin and Gold to choosing between “two children,” emphasizing a strategy of holding both digital and analog hard money.
💡 ANALYST TAKEAWAY: Tether is no longer just a crypto payments company; it is operating with the asset allocation strategy of a Sovereign Wealth Fund. With $186B in USDT circulation and $10B+ in annual profits, they are effectively converting US Treasury yield into finite assets. By holding 130 tons of gold, Tether now holds more bullion than many G20 central banks—a massive signal of where they believe fiat currency is heading.
👇 Crypto & Macro Investors: Is Tether’s aggressive move into Gold a lack of confidence in the very Dollar their stablecoin is pegged to?