Tether Halts USDT Support on Five Blockchains by September 2025

Tether, the issuer of the widely used stablecoin USDT, has announced a significant strategic shift effective September 1, 2025. The company will cease supporting USDT on five blockchains, including Omni Layer, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand. This decision encompasses the halting of minting, redemptions, and transfers of USDT on these networks. The move is part of Tether's infrastructure optimization strategy, aimed at aligning with evolving user behavior and focusing on more active and scalable blockchains.

The affected blockchains have historically played a crucial role in Tether's early development. However, the usage of USDT on these platforms has significantly declined in recent years. Tether's CEO, Paolo Ardoino, emphasized the company's commitment to adapting to the changing digital asset ecosystem. By phasing out support for these older blockchains, Tether can allocate more resources to platforms that offer better scalability and stronger developer engagement.

Tether had already begun gradually reducing its presence on these networks over the past two years. In 2023, the company stopped creating new USDT tokens on Bitcoin Cash, Kusama, and Omni Layer. Minting on Algorand and EOS was discontinued in June 2024. Until now, redemptions were still permitted, but starting September 1, 2025, Tether will no longer redeem USDT on these blockchains, and any remaining tokens will be frozen.

This strategic shift is not an isolated move but part of a broader industry trend. In 2024, Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, stopped minting USDC on Tron as part of a company-wide decision. Tether's decision to focus on faster, modern blockchains like the Lightning Network aligns with the industry's push towards more efficient and scalable solutions.

Tether is urging users who still hold USDT on the affected blockchains to take action before the September 2025 deadline. Users can either redeem their tokens through the Tether platform or transfer them to other supported blockchains. For those not using Tether directly, trusted third-party services can assist in moving the tokens. Failure to act before the deadline will result in the tokens being frozen and rendered unusable.

The company has also indicated its intention to continue building new partnerships and leveraging advanced technology to enhance the availability and usability of USDT globally. This strategic realignment is expected to position Tether more effectively in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape, ensuring that USDT remains a reliable and efficient stablecoin for users worldwide.