In 2024, Tether, the largest stablecoin, increased its market capitalization by nearly $50 billion and expanded its investments in various industries and product lines. It was revealed that Tether stores a significant portion of its reserves at Cantor Fitzgerald, led by Howard Lutnick, who publicly supports the stablecoin. Lutnick is a prominent political figure and co-chair of the transition committee for President-elect Donald Trump, as well as former nominee for Treasury and future commerce secretary. Cantor Fitzgerald was recently fined $6.75 million by the SEC for misleading statements made by two special purpose acquisition companies. Despite this, Cantor Fitzgerald remains an investor in Tether. Tether has reduced its lobbying activities this year, spending less on lobbying compared to previous years. In 2023, Tether hired DMM Consulting, which also lobbied for the Bukele government of El Salvador. Tether's sister firm, Bitfinex Securities, was the first digital asset service provider in El Salvador. Tether has also made investments in the country, including Volcano Energy, a firm exploring bitcoin mining using geothermal energy. In Europe, Tether decided to discontinue operating Euro Tether due to regulatory changes. However, Tether continues to partner with firms like Quantoz Payments to launch Euro-based stablecoins through its Hadron platform. Overall, Tether's market capitalization and connections have grown, indicating potential for further expansion.
- Content Editor ( protos.com )
- 2024-12-27
Tether became a political powerhouse in 2024