On July 29, 2026, Tether quietly launched its USAT stablecoin on the Celo blockchain, marking its first move beyond Ethereum since January. This rollout isn’t just a simple token bridge it enables users to pay transaction fees directly with USAT without needing a separate gas token.
The Celo network’s CIP-64 upgrade is the key enabler here, allowing native gas payments in USAT. Anchorage Digital Bank, the federally chartered issuer of USAT, confirmed the token now supports minting, burning, and gas payments natively on Celo. This native integration signals a shift in Tether’s approach to regulated stablecoins, focusing on smooth user experience rather than workarounds.
USAT’s market cap sits around $185 million, minuscule compared to USDT’s $180 billion. However, the goal isn’t instant scale but building solid infrastructure on a network designed for digital dollar adoption at scale. Tether’s CEO, Bo Hines, highlighted that Celo’s environment aligns with real-world digital dollar usage rather than speculative DeFi activity.
Celo has emerged as Tether’s largest USDT distribution network by weekly active users since 2024, and the Valora wallet already supports USAT on Celo. However, Opera’s MiniPay, which has over 18 million users, has yet to add support.
This expansion reflects a broader push in stablecoin innovation, making digital dollar transactions smoother and more accessible. It could influence how users interact with decentralized finance and digital payments going forward.
This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute financial advice.
