Tether Unveils AI Platform with Integrated Bitcoin and USDT Payments

Tether Jumps Into AI Race With Open-Source Platform, Planned Bitcoin and USDT Payments - Decrypt

Tether, the company behind the world's largest stablecoin USDT, today announced Tether AI, an open-source artificial intelligence platform set to launch later this year. The platform aims to merge cryptocurrency with AI technology through decentralized applications running directly on user devices. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino revealed the initiative through a series of posts on X, describing Tether AI as "personal infinite intelligence" designed to operate without centralized control. "A fully open-source AI runtime, capable to adapt and evolve on any hardware and device." If Tether's AI vision comes to fruition, then users could delegate complex cryptocurrency operations to AI agents that work seamlessly within a decentralized ecosystem. Rather than manually managing wallets, interacting with blockchain addresses, or building decentralized applications, users could simply rely on these AI agents to handle these technical aspects. The key advantage is twofold: end users would gain access to sophisticated financial tools through intuitive AI interfaces, while developers would benefit from a common framework for creating interoperable financial applications. These applications could communicate and interact with each other directly in a peer-to-peer fashion, without depending on centralized infrastructure or intermediaries Ardoino also said that Tether AI would require no API keys, and would offer a "fully modular and composable [wallet development kit] infused to enable USDT and Bitcoin payments." Tether didn't reveal too much more, but the wallet development kit essentially provides the infrastructure for financial transactions within the Tether AI platform, allowing AI applications (like the AI Bitcoin wallet assistant) to interact securely with users' cryptocurrency holdings while maintaining the platform's principles of privacy and self-custody. The announcement comes on the heels of Tether's aggressive push into Bitcoin. Last month, the company boosted its Bitcoin reserves with a $735 million purchase, continuing its strategy of diversifying beyond stablecoins. As recently reported by Decrypt, a SEC filing showed that Tether has also increased its stake in Bitcoin mining firm Bitdeer to 21%, further cementing its position in the crypto mining sector. And back in January, Tether said that it would bring USDT to Bitcoin and its layer-2 Lightning payments network. Tether's AI ambitions first surfaced in February when Ardoino previewed "Tether Data," introducing applications like AI Translate, AI Voice Assistant, and an AI Bitcoin wallet assistant. These tools focus on user privacy by operating locally on devices rather than through cloud services. "Tether Data's apps will focus on working locally on any device, full privacy, self-custodial (both data and money)," Ardoino explained when first unveiling the project. In Tether's planned peer-to-peer AI network, agents would interact autonomously to solve practical problems while preserving privacy and decentralization. For example, while traveling abroad, you could activate your voice assistant to record a foreign hotel manager telling you the rates for a room. Your device's AI translate agent might connect with nearby devices to provide real-time translation services, while your AI wallet assistant simultaneously prepares appropriate cryptocurrency payments in USDT or Bitcoin based on what the translator says. These transactions would occur directly between devices without centralized servers, with all processing needs happening locally. Of course this is just an imaginary scenario, but it's one example of how AI agents could interact in a crypto-powered ecosystem. The platform builds on Bare, an open source JavaScript runtime, making it compatible with a wide range of hardware devices. In an Italian-language post, Ardoino revealed broader philosophical ambitions for the project: "Tether AI has a key objective: to be the ideal technological foundation for achieving the vision of AI described in [Isaac] Asimov's science fiction books," he wrote. "AI will become, in the coming decades, part of the very fabric of the universe."

Tether AI platform to support Bitcoin and USDT payments, CEO says

Tether AI's crypto payment support will be enabled via the newly-launched wallet development kit, which enables self-custodial wallets for Bitcoin and Tether's USDt. Tether AI, the upcoming artificial intelligence platform from the stablecoin giant Tether, will feature payments in major cryptocurrencies, including USDt and Bitcoin. Tether CEO Paolo Adroino took to X on May 5 to tease the soon-to-come launch of Tether AI, the company's new AI platform designed to offer "personal infinite intelligence." According to Ardoino, Tether's AI platform will be integrated with USDt (USDT) and Bitcoin (BTC) payments, allowing users to make transactions directly through a peer-to-peer (P2P) network. The initiative builds on Tether's December 2024 announcement that it was developing a website for the AI tool, targeting a launch by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Ardoino emphasized that Tether AI will not use application programming interface (API) keys and will not depend on centralized control points. Instead, Tether AI will offer a "fully open-source AI runtime" that will run on an "unstoppable peer-to-peer network," and will be "fully modular and composable." Additionally, Tether AI will be capable of adapting and evolving on "any hardware and device," he said. The announcement also details that Tether AI's P2P crypto payments will be "infused" with its open-source wallet development kit (WDK), launched in November 2024. Tether's WDK is a toolkit that enables developers to build mobile, desktop and web wallet applications, enabling self-custodial, or non-custodial, holding of USDt and Bitcoin. Unlike custodial wallets, self-custodial wallet solutions allow users to gain complete control over assets, eliminating reliance on third-party custody solutions for completing transactions. Tether AI is part of a broader strategy to expand the company's footprint in artificial intelligence. In April 2024, Tether announced company restructuring to introduce new divisions beyond stablecoin development, launching Tether Data, a dedicated unit focused on AI and P2P development. Related: OpenAI ignored experts when it released overly agreeable ChatGPT In February, Ardoino announced that its AI division was working on a series of AI apps, including AI Translate, AI Voice Assistant and AI Bitcoin Wallet Assistant. According to Ardoino, Tether AI has one key goal of providing the "ideal technological foundation" to achieve the vision of AI described by Isaac Asimov, one of the most influential science fiction authors about AI, known for works such as I, Robot, The Robot Series, and more. "AI will, in the coming decades, become part of the very fabric of the universe," Ardoino said in another X post written in Italian.

Paolo Ardoino Teases Tether AI To Supercharge Bitcoin And USDT Transactions

Tether is expanding its offerings beyond stablecoins in recent months. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has dropped a teaser for an artificial intelligence (AI)-based product for decentralized applications. Dubbed Tether AI, the product may trigger a spike in the volume of Bitcoin and USDT transactions upon launch. Paolo Ardoino Hints At Imminent Tether AI Launch Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has signaled the impending launch of a decentralized AI infrastructure to revolutionize the payment landscape. According to an X post, Ardoino noted that Tether AI is "coming soon," but a clear timeline for a commercial launch remains under wraps. However, the CEO shared insights into the functionalities of the AI offering for consumers. Right off the bat, Ardoino referred to Tether AI as "personal infinite intelligence," hinting at far-reaching capabilities for the product. Firstly, Tether AI will be open-source and decentralized with the capability to "evolve" on any device without the need for API keys. Per the teaser, developers can choose the components of the offering for their products while enjoying the perks of easy integrations. Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, is expanding its reach to new verticals to improve its offerings for customers. Despite dabbling in artificial intelligence, the Tether is still going head-to-head with USD1 and other stablecoin issuers for dominance. Tether AI Will Power Bitcoin And USDT Transactions Steeped in payments, Tether's incoming infrastructure has its eye on turbocharging Bitcoin and USDT transactions. Tether's wallet development kit (WDK) will support USDT and Bitcoin payments for AI agents. Previous disclosures reveal that the offering will support billions of AI agents communicating and transacting with each other using Bitcoin and USDT. Use cases are far-reaching, with autonomous trading bots selling alphas to other bots and AI agents transacting energy usage using microtransactions. "WDK infused to enable USDT and Bitcoin payments," read the teaser. "Tether AI tech will enable an unstoppable peer-to-peer network of billions of AI agents." How Will It Affect BTC? Tether AI's solution will trigger a significant spike in the daily trading activity for Bitcoin. The launch could see Bitcoin price reach $1 million, potentially serving as the catalyst for Robert Kiyosaki and Arthur Hayes' prediction. On the other hand, multiple artificial intelligence agents transacting with USDT will see the Tether-issued stablecoin be the winner in the stablecoin race. Tether is facing stiff competition from Circle, Ripple, and PayPal, threatening to snag a portion of its market share. However, to maintain its dominance, the stablecoin issuer is making significant moves in the space. Tether is mulling the launch of a US-based stablecoin while minting $1B on Tron blockchain.

Tether Teases Launch of New Artificial Intelligence Platform | PYMNTS.com

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino posted about the forthcoming launch on social platform X early Monday morning (May 5), saying the AI platform will allow users to make payments with bitcoin and the company's own USDT stablecoin. "A fully open-source AI runtime, capable to adapt and evolve on any hardware and device, no API keys, no central point of failure," Ardoino wrote. The announcement came days after Ardoino said Tether plans to introduce a new dollar-pegged stablecoin in the United States within a year. The company, which is headquartered in El Salvador and is the world's largest stablecoin issuer, is backing the GENIUS Act, which would permit stablecoin issuers to operate in the U.S. if they agree to cooperate with law enforcement. "It depends on the timeline of the final legislation ... but we are looking at that by the end of the year, or early next year at the fastest," Adroino told CNBC, referring to the new stablecoin. The news followed reports from last month that Tether was weighing a U.S.-only stablecoin, assuming the government puts forth rules encouraging new entrants to the market. Tether, whose tokens account for 70% of the overall stablecoin market, is the dominant player on offshore exchanges, emerging markets and decentralized finance protocols, where fiat banking access is limited or unreliable, PYMNTS wrote last week. While the company has exited certain regulated markets in the past, the changing U.S. cryptocurrency landscape could bring its stablecoin to America. Also last week, Tether published its first-quarter attestation report carried out by global independent accounting firm BDO and said its USDT stablecoin is "viewed as a stable, efficient and accessible on-ramp to the global economy." In a statement included with the attestation report, Ardoino said: "With record U.S. Treasury exposure, growing reserves, strong profits and increased adoption of USDT worldwide, we remain focused on delivering trust, transparency and value to hundreds of millions of users. Our mission is clear: to responsibly and compliantly power the digital economy and strengthen the role of the U.S. dollar on the global stage."

Tether AI: A Revolutionary Platform Integrating Bitcoin and USDt Payments

On May 5, Paolo Ardoino, Tether Chief Executive Officer, shared information on the platform and noted that the platform would support direct transactions via Bitcoin and USDt. Central to the platform is a peer-to-peer network, which allows for more user freedom and confidentiality through the elimination of the normal centralized intermediaries. Tether AI Lab uses Tether's open-source Wallet Development Kit, launched in November 2024. This package offers developers a toolkit to implement self-custodial wallets for mobile, web, and desktop platforms, allowing any owner full control over their as he does not have the option to resort to a third-party custodian. Moreover, the architecture of Tether AI also lacks any centralized control points, strengthening the decentralization argument.