Stable Chain’s Major Upgrade: Tether-Backed Network Swaps Gas Token from gUSDT to USDT0 in 2026

• What’s Driving Stable’s Gas Token Overhaul?
• Key Features of the v1.2.0 Upgrade
• Stable’s Roadmap: Wallets, Free Transfers, and Institutional Onboarding
• Why This Matters for Crypto Payments
• FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

In a bold MOVE to streamline user experience and strengthen its stablecoin-focused infrastructure, the Tether-backed Layer-1 blockchain Stable is set to upgrade its native gas token from gUSDT to USDT0 on February 4, 2026. This upgrade, arriving just two months after the chain’s December 2025 launch, aims to eliminate token conversion hassles and unify fee payments under a single stablecoin process. With over $780 million in on-chain value and partnerships with heavyweights like Anchorage Digital and PayPal Ventures, Stable is positioning itself as the go-to platform for institutional payment flows. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s Driving Stable’s Gas Token Overhaul?

The shift from gUSDT to USDT0 isn’t just a rebrand—it’s a strategic pivot to simplify treasury management for payment providers. By ditching volatile gas tokens entirely, Stable allows transactions to settle purely in USDT, sidestepping the accounting nightmares caused by price swings. "The global economy needs stablecoin-native infrastructure built for real-world payments," the team stated, taking a clear jab at legacy blockchains. Their secret sauce? A combo of sub-second finality via StableBFT consensus, EVM compatibility, and enterprise-grade throughput.

Key Features of the v1.2.0 Upgrade

Beyond the gas token switch, the upgrade packs serious heat:

• Undelegation Signals: New on-chain protocol-level triggers now ping apps when staking withdrawals complete—no more guesswork for indexers.
• Solidity Fixes: Smoother smart contract deployments with patched compatibility issues.
• Zero-Gas Flows: API-managed gas waivers enable controlled fee-free transactions (think corporate batch processing).

Partners are advised to update systems for USDT0-based fee handling and adopt the new undelegation tracking. Miss this, and your node might start coughing up errors like a 2008 Lehman server.

Stable’s Roadmap: Wallets, Free Transfers, and Institutional Onboarding

2026 will see the rollout of StablePay, a user-friendly wallet supporting P2P transfers with zero fees—a cheeky challenge to Venmo. The chain’s also doubling down on B2B adoption, with Bitfinex and Framework Ventures-backed Plasma (another USDT-centric chain) breathing down its neck since their $28M-funded 2025 beta launch. As Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO and Stable advisor, might say: "Game on."

Why This Matters for Crypto Payments

Stable’s upgrade drops right into the ring with Circle’s ARC and Stripe’s Tempo—all vying to be the SWIFT of stablecoins. By solving gas volatility and offering institutional-grade rails, Stable could become the Visa network for web3. Trading volume data from CoinMarketCap shows USDT’s dominance (>70% of stablecoin market cap), suggesting Stable’s bet on Tether integration is shrewd.

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

When does the USDT0 upgrade go live?

Mark your calendars for February 4, 2026—mainnet upgrade day.

Will my existing gUSDT become worthless?

Not at all! The chain will auto-convert gUSDT to USDT0 during the upgrade. No action needed.

How does this affect stakers?

Staking rewards now pay out in USDT0. Validators should update their nodes to v1.2.0 pre-upgrade.