SoftBank and Ark Invest in Talks to Join Tether’s $20 Billion Funding Round

SoftBank Group and Cathie Wood's Ark Invest are reportedly in early discussions to participate in Tether's landmark $15-$20 billion capital raise. The stablecoin issuer aims to exchange approximately 3% equity in a private placement that could value the company at $500 billion—placing it among the world's most valuable private firms.

The involvement of these heavyweight investors signals growing institutional confidence in stablecoins. SoftBank's $30 billion commitment to OpenAI and Ark Invest's existing stake in Circle underscore the strategic importance of blockchain infrastructure. Tether's simultaneous push for US political acceptance, including the launch of a compliant USAT stablecoin and hiring of Trump-era crypto advisor Bo Hines, reveals a multipronged growth strategy.

Cantor Fitzgerald is advising on the fundraising, which could accelerate mainstream adoption of dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies. The potential valuation rivals that of SpaceX and ByteDance, reflecting crypto's encroachment into traditional finance territory.