Tether Becomes Fifth-Largest Bitcoin Holder After $876M Buying Spree
In Q4 2025, Tether purchased 8,888 BTC, bringing its total holdings to 96,185 BTC worth approximately $8.42 billion. This acquisition positions Tether as the fifth-largest bitcoin holder globally. Data from EmberCN revealed a transfer of 961 BTC from Bitfinex on November 7, followed by the main purchase of 8,888.8 BTC on January 1.
The average acquisition price for Tether’s BTC is about $51,117 per coin, while current prices hover around $88,700, resulting in an unrealized profit estimated at $3.524 billion. These purchases align with Tether’s policy announced in May 2023 to allocate 15% of quarterly profits towards reserve purchases, with Paolo Ardoino confirming the Q4 acquisition.
Alongside increasing USDT circulation, which surpassed $183 billion, Tether has expanded its BTC reserves with a total Q4 2025 acquisition recorded as 8,888.8888888 BTC. Beyond treasury activity, Tether led an $8 million investment in Speed1 to support Lightning Network development, backed the crypto lender Ledn, launched the digital payment platform PearPass, and pursued a $1.17 billion bid for Juventus FC. Market chatter also suggests a potential $20 billion capital raise for a 3% stake at a $500 billion valuation.
