SoftBank and Ark Invest Jump Into Tether’s Massive $20 Billion Funding Round

Tech giants place billion-dollar bets on stablecoin infrastructure.

The Funding Frenzy

SoftBank's Vision Fund and Cathie Wood's Ark Invest just committed to Tether's landmark $20 billion capital raise—the largest stablecoin financing in crypto history. These aren't speculative plays; they're infrastructure investments betting on blockchain becoming the plumbing of global finance.

Strategic Moves

The participation signals institutional validation of dollar-pegged assets as critical settlement layers. Ark brings its disruptive tech thesis while SoftBank deploys capital toward payment rail modernization. Traditional bankers watching from sidelines might want to check their SWIFT transaction speeds.

Market Impact

This injection turbocharges Tether's reserves management and regulatory compliance capabilities. The stablecoin wars just escalated—and legacy finance is stuck with twentieth-century infrastructure. Sometimes the most cynical trade is sticking with what already works.

Tether Targets Record-Breaking Valuation

Tether is looking to raise between $15 billion and $20 billion by selling about a 3% stake through a private deal. If this deal goes through, the company could be valued at close to $500 billion. That WOULD make Tether one of the most valuable private companies in the world, in the same league as OpenAI, and other tech giants

The company is being advised by New York-based investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald, which has long been run by Howard Lutnick, now serving as U.S. Commerce Secretary.

Bloomberg reported earlier in the week that Tether’s plan could become one of the largest crypto funding deals ever attempted. 

Stablecoin Giant Expands Its Reach

Tether is the biggest player in the stablecoin market. Its main token, USDT, is tied to the value of the U.S. dollar and is widely used for trading and moving money quickly the crypto world without relying on banks 

According to CoinGecko, USDT has a market value of about $173 billion, making it the largest stablecoin in circulation.

The El Salvador-based company has also invested in other sectors including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, telecommunications, and even real estate.

SoftBank, led by Masayoshi Son, has a long history of investing in new technology, including chips, AI, and self-driving cars. The firm started increasing its exposure to the crypto space recently. Ark Invest, run by Cathie Wood, has also expanded its digital asset portfolio, previously investing in Circle, a direct rival to Tether.

Also Read: THETA Capital is Seeking $200M for its Blockchain Fund-of-Funds