just now
Tether has announced plans to issue its USD₮ stablecoin on RGB, a protocol designed for digital asset transactions on Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, marking a significant development in Bitcoin-native financial infrastructure.
The move represents Tether's commitment to expanding USD₮ beyond traditional blockchain networks onto Bitcoin's base layer using RGB technology, which reached mainnet readiness earlier this year with its v0.11.1 release.
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said: "Bitcoin deserves a stablecoin that feels truly native, lightweight, private, and scalable. With RGB, USD₮ gains a powerful new pathway on Bitcoin, reinforcing our belief in Bitcoin as the foundation of a freer financial future."
The RGB protocol operates through client-side validation whilst using Bitcoin as a commitment layer, keeping asset data off-chain while anchoring transaction proofs to Bitcoin transactions. This architecture aims to minimise blockchain bloat whilst preserving transaction privacy and enabling Lightning Network compatibility.
The RGB Protocol Association, a Swiss non-profit organisation that stewards the protocol's development, has welcomed Tether's announcement as significant for institutions and developers seeking scalable asset infrastructure on Bitcoin's network.
According to the companies, USD₮ on RGB will enable users to hold and transfer the stablecoin alongside bitcoin within the same wallet, conduct private transactions that don't reveal balances on-chain, and integrate with the Lightning Network for instant settlements using RGB's transport extensions.
RGB extends Bitcoin's functionality beyond store of value applications, enabling stablecoins, tokenised assets, and programmable rights that inherit Bitcoin's security model whilst maintaining user control. The protocol achieves this without requiring new opcodes or consensus changes to Bitcoin's base layer.
The RGB Protocol Association is inviting wallets, exchanges, payment processors, and infrastructure providers to participate in working groups focused on accelerating RGB20 integrations for fungible assets, Lightning Network transports, and bridge connectors.
Tether, which operates the world's largest stablecoin by market capitalisation, has previously issued USD₮ on multiple blockchain networks including Ethereum, Tron, and Solana. The addition of RGB would represent the company's first native Bitcoin implementation.
The announcement comes as the cryptocurrency industry continues exploring ways to expand Bitcoin's utility beyond its primary function as a store of value and medium of exchange.
