Tether has announced it will wind down USDT on five lesser-used blockchains after usage on those networks wanes.
Redemptions and token minting on Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash’s Simple Ledger Protocol, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand are set to stop on Sept. 1, 2025. Remaining tokens are to be frozen on the same day, according to a statement.
Together, the five networks carry only a sliver of USDT’s roughly $156 billion float. Tether says the usage of USDT on these networks, which it touts as playing a role in the firm’s early growth, has declined “significantly” over the past two years.
“Sunsetting support for these legacy chains allows us to focus on platforms that offer greater scalability, developer activity, and community engagement — all key components for driving the next wave of stablecoin adoption,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in the statement.
The firm will redirect its focus to Layer 2 networks such as the Lightning Network and to newer blockchains that promise faster settlement and richer developer tooling.
Tether has asked its customers holding USDT on the five networks to redeem their holdings as soon as possible or request issuance of their tokens on a supported blockchain. Token holders can migrate their tokens through blockchain bridges or exchanges.
The lion’s share of Tether’s $156 billion fiat is currently circulating on Tron and Ethereum, which together make up over 95% of the total. Solana is the only other network with more than 1% of USDT’s supply in circulation, according to RWA.xyz data.