Tether is Developing New AI Applications, Including AI Bitcoin Wallet Assistant

Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives with several new applications in development, according to CEO Paolo Ardoino.

In a Feb. 4 announcement, Ardoino revealed that Tether Data, the company’s AI division, is working on multiple AI-powered tools, including AI Translate, AI Voice Assistant, and an AI Bitcoin Wallet Assistant.

These applications are designed to operate locally on various devices while maintaining user privacy and self-custodianship of both data and funds.

Tether’s AI Wallet Assistant Can Send Bitcoin via Chatbot Commands

While specific details remain scarce, a demo showcased how the AI Bitcoin Wallet Assistant could function.

In the demonstration, a user asked the chatbot—referred to as “Payment Agent”—for their Bitcoin wallet address and balance before instructing it to send a small amount of BTC to a contact in their address book.

The entire process was executed autonomously through the AI interface.

“Tether will soon launch its own AI SDK [software development kit] platform, open-source, built upon Bare, working on every hardware, from embedded devices, any mobile phone, any laptop, powerful servers, clusters of servers,” Ardoino stated.

Tether’s AI Translate serves as a basic chatbot-powered translation tool, while the AI Voice Assistant enables voice-based interactions with the AI system.

Tether’s growing interest in AI was first evident in 2023 when the company acquired a stake in Northern Data Group, a European crypto mining firm specializing in cloud computing and generative AI.

In March 2024, the firm expanded its AI operations with a global hiring initiative, telling Cointelegraph it aimed to “push the boundaries of AI technology” and set new industry standards.

Tether Data, preview of some of the AI apps we're developing: AI translate, AI voice assistant, AI bitcoin wallet assistant.

Tether will launch soon its own AI SDK platform, open-source, built upon Bare (Holepunch's javascript runtime), working on every hardware, from embedded… pic.twitter.com/W5JFmoVcnh

— Paolo Ardoino 🤖🍐 (@paoloardoino) February 4, 2025

Ardoino further hinted at Tether’s AI ambitions in December, stating that the company was preparing for the launch of an AI platform by the end of Q1 2025.

Meanwhile, Tether recently reported a record-breaking $13 billion in profits for 2024, alongside a growing stockpile of $113 billion in US government bonds.

Additionally, its stablecoin USDT reached an all-time high market capitalization of $141 billion, following the issuance of another $1 billion worth of USDT on Feb. 5.

Tether Makes First VC Investment

Last year, Tether made its first foray into venture capital by investing $2 million in Arcanum Capital’s Arcanum Emerging Technologies Fund II.

The fund is a tokenized investment vehicle focused on supporting decentralized Web3 projects aimed at advancing blockchain-based technologies, including remittances, privacy, and financial inclusion.

Furthermore, Tether recently invested $775 million in Rumble, a video-sharing platform known for its free speech ethos. Ardoino cited Rumble’s commitment to uncensored content as a key factor in the decision.

Meanwhile, Rumble’s embrace of cryptocurrency extends beyond Tether’s investment.

On November 25, the platform confirmed plans to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet, with its board approving up to $20 million of the company’s excess cash reserves for Bitcoin purchases.