Tether has announced a strategic investment in Speed, a payments platform built on the Bitcoin Lightning Network and stablecoins, reinforcing Tether’s push to expand real-world crypto payment infrastructure. Tether co-led Speed’s $8 million funding round alongside Ego Death Capital.
Speed enables instant global payments using Bitcoin, the Lightning Network, and USDT settlement. Through products like Speed Wallet and Speed Merchant, the platform processes over $1.5 billion in annual payment volume and serves roughly 1.2 million users and businesses. Its core proposition is fast, low-fee transactions with reliable global routing, designed for both enterprise clients and everyday users.
For Tether, this investment aligns with a broader strategy to strengthen Bitcoin-native financial rails and push USDT beyond trading use cases into everyday commerce. By combining Lightning’s high-throughput, low-cost layer-2 capabilities with stablecoin settlement, Speed addresses two persistent challenges in crypto payments: scalability and volatility.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said Speed demonstrates what Lightning can achieve when paired with a liquid, stable digital dollar, adding that Bitcoin-rooted networks are increasingly ready for mainstream commercial use when supported by practical infrastructure.
The move comes as Tether continues to expand its balance sheet and investment footprint. The company holds nearly $9.9 billion worth of $BTC and has confirmed plans to bring USDT directly onto Bitcoin and the Lightning Network. Beyond payments, Tether has recently invested across sectors, including robotics, media, and sports, highlighting its evolution into a diversified global investor.
With Bitcoin trading near $87,500 after rebounding from recent lows, Tether’s backing of Lightning-based payments underscores a clear thesis: the next phase of crypto adoption will be driven by infrastructure and real settlement flows, not just speculation.
Source: Decrypt
