Tether Surpasses 96,000 BTC, Becomes Top 5 Global Holder alongside Record Gold Reserves
In early 2026, Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin and currently the world's largest private (non-sovereign) gold holder, joined the ranks of the top five largest Bitcoin holders.
Strategic Bitcoin Accumulation
As of January 1, 2026, Tether’s Bitcoin reserves reached over 96,000
$BTC , valued at approximately $8.4–$8.5 billion.
Recent Purchase: Tether finalized its entry into the top five by acquiring 8,888 BTC on December 31, 2025, a transaction worth roughly $780 million.
Investment Strategy: The company consistently reinvests up to 15% of its quarterly profits into Bitcoin to diversify its stablecoin reserves beyond traditional assets like U.S. Treasuries.
Gold Reserves Leadership
#StrategyBTCPurchase Tether is recognized as the world's largest private gold holder, surpassing even the largest gold ETFs and private investment funds.
Holdings: As of the third quarter of 2025, Tether holds 116 metric tons of physical gold.
Value: This gold reserve is valued in the low-double-digit billions of dollars.
Top 5 Global Bitcoin Holders (Entity Rankings)
While specific rankings fluctuate based on on-chain data, Tether’s ~96,000 BTC stash positions its primary wallet as the fifth-largest globally, trailing major entities such as:
Satoshi Nakamoto: Estimated ~1.1 million BTC.
Binance: Large exchange reserves (primarily user-held).
BlackRock (IBIT): Leading institutional ETF.
MicroStrategy: The largest corporate holder, with over 670,000 BTC.
Tether: Now ranks among these top institutional and corporate giants.
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