Tether to Open Source Bitcoin Mining OS by 2025, USDT Gains in Bolivia

Tether, the company behind the widely used stablecoin USDT, has announced a significant move into the Bitcoin ecosystem. The company plans to release its modular Bitcoin mining operating system, MOS, as open-source software by the fourth quarter of 2025. This initiative aims to democratize Bitcoin mining by providing a scalable and peer-to-peer architecture that supports existing mining infrastructure, allowing new entrants to bypass costly vendor solutions.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino emphasized that the MOS platform is designed to be compatible with current mining infrastructure, including mining containers and various power delivery modules. This compatibility makes the MOS accessible not just to future projects but also to existing operations looking to cut costs and gain flexibility. The move is part of Tether’s broader strategy to foster decentralization within the Bitcoin ecosystem, which includes a partnership with the Ocean mining pool to decentralize block production and ensure smaller miners remain competitive.

In parallel, Tether’s USDT stablecoin has gained ground in Bolivia, where it is being used as a pricing benchmark in a Bolivian airport store. This development signals increased informal use of digital dollars amid the country’s ongoing economic downturn. The store, Duty Fly, displays price tags in USDT for various consumer goods, indicating that customers can pay in either Bolivianos, the local fiat currency, or US dollars, with USDT serving as the functional exchange rate.

Bolivia’s economic instability has driven the adoption of USDT as a practical workaround for citizens facing unstable banking systems, hyperinflation, or currency shortages. The country’s usable foreign reserves have plummeted, and the government’s access to actual dollars has become severely limited. This has led to a thriving black market for US currency, with exchange rates soaring far above the official rate. The high cost of energy imports and skyrocketing inflation have further exacerbated the economic crisis, making USDT an attractive alternative for transactions.

Tether’s open-source initiative and the growing use of USDT in Bolivia highlight the company’s dual strategy of bridging infrastructure development and emerging market adoption. By lowering the technical and financial barriers to entry, Tether’s new software initiative could empower a new generation of miners, further decentralize the Bitcoin network, and ignite innovation across the mining stack. Meanwhile, the use of USDT in Bolivia underscores its real-world utility in countries with unstable monetary systems, offering a practical solution for citizens seeking alternatives to failing fiat currencies.