Tether cuts fundraising plan to $5B from earlier $15B–$20B tied to $500B valuation

Stablecoin issuer Tether has revised its fundraising plan to $5 billion, down from an earlier range of $15 billion to $20 billion tied to a $500 billion valuation objective, the Financial Times reported on Feb. 4. CEO Paolo Ardoino said in an interview the $15 billion to $20 billion figure was a misunderstanding, describing it as the maximum equity the firm was prepared to sell rather than a fundraising target, and added Tether remains highly profitable and is "very happy" without selling shares. Ardoino compared Tether's profitability with artificial intelligence companies, saying they generate similar profit "but with a minus sign in front." Tether generated about $10 billion in profit last year mainly from returns on its assets, while 2025 profit declined roughly 25% year-on-year, and a previous report said the company sought to raise up to $20 billion at a $500 billion valuation in September 2025.