- Tether minted 1 billion USDT on the Tron network as part of an inventory refill, not yet in circulation.
- The move follows similar billion-dollar mints earlier this month, signaling preparation for future demand.
- Bitcoin dipped below $85K around the same time, sparking speculation despite no confirmed link.
Tether just minted 1 billion new USDT tokens, according to blockchain sleuths at Whale Alert. Yeah, another billion.
It happened on the Tron network, and Tether’s CEO Paolo Ardoino says it’s nothing wild—just an inventory top-up. Basically, they pre-authorized it, but none of it’s in circulation yet. It’s more of a “just in case demand spikes” kind of move. Still, timing’s interesting.
This Isn’t the First—Or Even the Second—Time
Whale Alert also flagged billion-dollar mints from Tether earlier this month—on March 19 and again shortly after. So yeah, this is starting to look like a pattern.
Ardoino insists it’s all routine stuff. Replenishing reserves. Getting ready for possible market moves. But still… it’s hard not to notice the billion-dollar figure right as Bitcoin stumbles.
Bitcoin Dips Below $85K—Coincidence? Maybe
Right around the same time, Bitcoin dropped below the $85K mark, hitting a daily low of $84,788, per CoinGecko. That’s a 1.6% drop on the day—not massive, but enough to rattle some nerves. Is the mint tied to the dip? Hard to say, but crypto Twitter is already lighting up with theories.
Meanwhile, Tether’s total market cap has climbed to $144 billion—up from the $140B milestone it passed back in December. So, yeah, they’re not slowing down.
