Key Notes
- Stablecoin issuer shifts portfolio strategy favoring precious metals amid market uncertainty and gold’s exponential rally.
- The decision reflects broader market sentiment as investors seek safe-haven assets during turbulent economic conditions globally.
- Bitcoin’s underperformance compared to gold highlights diverging investor confidence in traditional versus digital store-of-value assets.
Tether, a leading stablecoin issuer, plans to increase its exposure to the yellow metal, potentially holding more gold than Bitcoin, portfolio allocation-wise. The disclosure comes as gold consistently makes new highs and BTC lags behind the world’s largest commodity by market cap.
Paolo Ardoino, Tether CEO, explained his intentions of allocating between 10% to 15% of the company’s portfolio to gold and 10% to Bitcoin
BTC
$89 377
24h volatility:
1.9%
Market cap:
$1.78 T
Vol. 24h:
$47.59 B
, according to a report by Reuters on Jan. 28.
“For our own portfolio, it’s reasonable that we are going to have around 10% in bitcoin and 10% to 15% in gold,” Ardoino said, without disclosing the value of Tether’s investment portfolio or how much of it was held in physical gold. “It’s hard to decide which one I like the most. It is almost like you have two children and have to decide which one is more beautiful,” he added in a video interview, according to Reuters.
Notably, Tether’s business model is based on issuing cryptocurrency tokens backed by real-world assets and pegged 1:1 to things like the US dollar or gold—called stablecoins. The company is the issuer of the largest USD and gold stablecoins by market cap, USDT and XAUT, respectively. Tether also recently announced the launch of USAT, a regulated, fully compliant US-based dollar stablecoin, as Coinspeaker reported, putting pressure on its main competitor, Circle’s USDC.
Effectively, the soundness of Tether’s products and, thus, the market’s trust in them is directly related to the soundness of its reserves—or portfolio allocation—guaranteeing stablecoin holders can, at any time, redeem the underlying asset at a 1:1 rate.
Tether said it bought large amounts of gold last year to back USDT and XAUT, a strategy that continues to date.
TETHER HAS QUIETLY AMASSED AROUND 140 TONS OF GOLD
Tether has quietly amassed around 140 tons of gold—worth about $24 billion—making it the largest known private holder outside banks and governments. The crypto giant is buying 1–2 tons per week, storing bullion in a former Swiss…
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) January 28, 2026
Gold Price at All-Time Highs
Gold price crossed $5,000 per ounce for the first time on Jan. 26, marking a significant milestone for the yellow metal above this psychological resistance. It is currently trading at $5,280/oz, making new all-time highs consistently in a rally that extends for months already, but went exponential as 2026 started.
“The world is not in a happy place at this moment. Gold is making all-time highs every single day. Why? Because everyone is scared,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said.
Gold vs. Bitcoin daily price chart as of Jan. 28, 2026 | Source: Trading View
Bitcoin, often called “digital gold,” however, is lagging behind the leading commodity, experiencing what looks like a price consolidation 30% below its $126,000 all-time high, currently trading at $89,500 per coin.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
Vini Barbosa has covered the crypto industry professionally since 2020, summing up to over 10,000 hours of research, writing, and editing related content for media outlets and key industry players. Vini is an active commentator and a heavy user of the technology, truly believing in its revolutionary potential. Topics of interest include blockchain, open-source software, decentralized finance, and real-world utility.
