Tether’s USDT is returning to Bitcoin—what the latest signal means

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has renewed attention on plans to make USDT widely usable through Bitcoin, saying the stablecoin is “coming home.”

Tether first announced its return to Bitcoin in January 2025, while companies developing the necessary payment infrastructure have worked on the rollout throughout 2026.

Tether renews its Bitcoin push

USDT was initially issued on Bitcoin via the Omni Layer protocol, but a majority of its activity has migrated to other networks such as Ethereum and Tron due to lower and quicker transfer fees.

As for the older version based on Omni, Tether ended offering direct support to that version. But it is now looking for ways to bring back USDT to Bitcoin.

In January 2025, Tether announced its intention to support transfers on Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. With Lightning, people can transact faster and cheaper without waiting for transactions to be settled on Bitcoin’s main network. 

Utexo, a company supported by Tether, raised $7.5 million in March to build such an infrastructure where business owners can send USDT over Bitcoin.

The company uses another system known as RGB. What this means is that it allows tokens to move with the help of Bitcoin without placing every piece of information directly on the public blockchain.

RGB and the system used by Lightning Labs, called Taproot Assets, are separate technologies. Both are being developed to make assets such as USDT easier to use through Bitcoin.

Morgan Stanley talks remain unconfirmed

Utexo co-founder Viktor Ihnatiuk said he recently met Morgan Stanley representatives in Washington to discuss USDT adoption through Bitcoin.

He also claimed that more than 450 businesses, including exchanges, wallets, and payment companies, are in Utexo’s pipeline.

As of now, Morgan Stanley has not publicized its association with Utexo or Tether. In addition, there is no timetable, which clearly shows when the two mentioned products will be available to customers.

Ardoino’s remarks therefore confirm that the move is ongoing support, not that the announcement is a new project from Tether.

USDT currently has a market value of about $184 billion, making it the largest stablecoin. With that size, even a small activity moving through Bitcoin could expand the network’s role beyond holding and transferring BTC.

Final Summary

• It was announced by Tether in January 2025 that it would bring the USDT to Bitcoin and the Lightning protocol.
• Whilst Ardoino’s latest comments renew that push, no Morgan Stanley partnership has been confirmed.