Tether Abandons Plan to Freeze Smart Contracts on Five Blockchain Networks

Tether has announced it will discontinue official support for five blockchain networks - Omni, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand - but users will still be able to transfer USDT between wallets on these legacy chains. The decision aligns with Tether's strategy of focusing on strong ecosystems with high developer activity, scalability, and user demand.

Tether, the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin USDT, has announced a significant shift in its strategy by discontinuing official support for five legacy blockchains. Effective September 1, 2025, Tether will no longer support the redemption of USDT on the Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand. However, users will still be able to transfer USDT between wallets on these legacy chains [1][2].

This decision aligns with Tether's broader strategic direction to focus on more robust ecosystems with high developer activity, scalability, and user demand. The company aims to improve its infrastructure, enhance security, and satisfy both developers and users by concentrating on faster and more reliable networks. According to Tether's CEO, Paolo Ardoino, "sunsetting support for these legacy chains allows us to focus on platforms that offer greater scalability, developer activity, and community engagement" [2].

The impact on users and developer ecosystems is significant. Individuals holding USDT on the affected chains are advised to move or redeem their tokens before the deadline. Failure to do so will result in the freezing of tokens, rendering them useless. This change is expected to affect liquidity and potentially introduce price volatility, prompting users to shift their assets to supported networks [2].

Tether has been proactive in addressing community feedback and ensuring a smooth transition. The company will continue to cooperate with the community to maintain transparency and clarity throughout the process. Additionally, Tether is adding USDT to new fast Layer-2 networks, including Avalanche, Polkadot, NEAR, Ton, Celo, Kava (Cosmos), and Solana, while continuing to maintain a strong presence on Ethereum and Tron [2].

In parallel, Tether is expanding its footprint on the Bitcoin network. The company has announced that USDT will be available on Bitcoin via the RGB protocol, allowing for faster, private, and lightweight transactions. This move further solidifies Tether's commitment to making Bitcoin foundational for daily transactions [3].

References:
[1] https://www.lookonchain.com/feeds/26888
[2] https://coinfomania.com/tether-unveils-transition-plan-for-legacy-blockchains/
[3] https://decrypt.co/337203/tether-brings-usdt-bitcoin-layer-2-network-rgb