Tether's Golden Quarter
Tether Reports $1.5 Billion Profit in Q2 2026, Significantly Expanding Gold Holdings to 146 Tonnes
Anonymous
Key Points
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Q2 2026 attestation shows total assets of about $187.75 billion and total liabilities of about $183.64 billion, with $183.62 billion tied to issued USDT.
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Tether reduced its secured lending exposure by roughly $2.38 billion in the quarter, highlighting a shift in liquidity risk management.
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The company reported a growing global user base, with more than 30 million new users in the quarter, pushing total users to over 650 million.
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Bitcoin holdings declined to about $5.8 billion (from $6.6 billion), and the precious-metals position slipped to about $18.8 billion despite adding 14 tonnes of gold in the quarter.
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Gold now accounts for roughly 10% of total reserves, and central banks together hold about 200 tonnes of gold, underscoring Tether’s growing bullion footprint among private holders.
Tether posted a $1.5 billion net operating profit in the second quarter of 2026, up from $1 billion in Q1, driven by interest on U.S. Treasury holdings and repurchase agreements, according to Yahoo Finance. At the same time, the stablecoin giant's financial cushion — the gap between its assets and liabilities — dropped by 50%, falling from $8.23 billion to $4.11 billion in just three months.
USDT, Tether's stablecoin, now has about $184.6 billion in circulation, giving it more than 60% of the total stablecoin market. CEO Paolo Ardoino said USDT remained "fully backed" despite lower prices for Bitcoin and precious metals weighing on reported asset values.
Reserve Buffer Drops 50% Even as Profits Rise
Tether's Q2 attestation shows total assets of about $187.75 billion against total liabilities of about $183.64 billion, per CoinGabbar. That $4.11 billion buffer keeps USDT fully backed — but it is half the size it was just one quarter ago. The company says its reserve strategy kept things stable during a period of market stress.
Tether also cut its secured lending exposure by roughly $2.38 billion during the quarter. Secured lending means loans backed by collateral. Reducing it signals the company wants to lower its liquidity risk — the chance it might struggle to pay customers quickly if many redeem at once.
Tether Adds 14 Tonnes of Gold, Hitting 146 Tonnes Total
Tether added 14 tonnes of gold to its reserves in Q2, pushing its total gold holdings past 146 tonnes, according to Investing.com. At current prices, that gold stash is worth about $18.8 billion. Gold now makes up roughly 10% of Tether's total reserves — a share that has grown steadily since the company became a major bullion buyer last year.
To put that in perspective, most central banks hold about 200 tonnes of gold each, according to Investing.com. Tether's 146 tonnes puts it in the same conversation as some national reserves. Bitcoin holdings, by contrast, slipped from $6.6 billion to about $5.8 billion as crypto prices fell during the quarter.
650 Million Users and Growing Market Dominance
Tether added more than 30 million new users in Q2 alone, bringing its total user base to over 650 million worldwide. That growth helped keep USDT's share of the stablecoin market above 60%. No competing stablecoin comes close to that level of adoption, per Yahoo Finance.
USDT issuance rose by $446 million from the prior quarter to reach $184.6 billion. Nearly all of Tether's liabilities — about $183.62 billion — are tied directly to issued USDT tokens. That means almost every dollar Tether holds in reserve exists to back those tokens.
Treasury Earnings Anchor a Diversified Reserve Strategy
The bulk of Tether's profit comes from its U.S. Treasury portfolio and repo agreements. Repo agreements — short-term loans backed by government bonds — are a common tool for earning yield with low risk. Tether has leaned heavily on this approach to generate steady income even when crypto markets are volatile, according to Yahoo Finance.
The company is clearly diversifying beyond Treasuries. Gold now sits at 10% of reserves, Bitcoin adds another layer, and secured lending is being trimmed. CEO Ardoino has framed this mix as a sign of resilience. The 50% drop in the reserve buffer, however, will likely draw scrutiny as regulators worldwide look more closely at stablecoin issuers.
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