Tether CEO Says Bitcoin Holdings Reach 150,000 BTC Worth $11.5 Billion

Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin, USDT, now holds approximately 150,000 Bitcoin worth more than $11.5 billion. CEO Paolo Ardoino disclosed the holdings during a keynote at the Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Switzerland. Reports published November 2 and 3, 2026, highlighted the company’s growing Bitcoin exposure. The figure represents a substantial increase from the 96,000 to 100,000 BTC reported earlier this year.

Tether began accumulating Bitcoin in May 2023 under a strategy allocating up to 15% of quarterly net profits to purchases. Its Bitcoin reserves reached $8.37 billion by September 30, compared with approximately $5.8 billion at the end of June. However, Bitcoin remains a smaller component of Tether’s broader reserve portfolio, which relies heavily on U.S. government securities.

Tether’s third-quarter 2026 attestation showed approximately $132.4 billion in U.S. Treasury holdings, including repurchase agreements. Excess reserves reached $7.95 billion, nearly doubling from the previous quarter. Meanwhile, Ardoino said Tether’s global user base exceeds 730 million. The latest Bitcoin figure comes from the CEO’s disclosure rather than a separate independent verification.