Tether Invests $8 Million in Lightning Network Startup Speeds Up Stablecoin Payments

Stablecoin leader Tether has made an $8 million investment in the Bitcoin-focused startup Speed, aimed at enhancing stablecoin payment processing via the Bitcoin Lightning Network. Tether's backing indicates strong belief in the integration of stablecoins into mainstream commerce.

Key Takeaways

Tether has led an $8 million funding round for Speed, a Bitcoin startup focused on stablecoin payments.
The investment aims to enhance stablecoin transactions on the Lightning Network.
Speed currently supports over 1.2 million users and processes $1.5 billion in payments annually.
This investment is part of Tether's broader strategy to diversify and support Bitcoin-related platforms.
Tether continues to see significant profits, leveraging investments in various industries.

Source: Tether

Tether, a dominant player in the stablecoin market, has taken the initiative to lead an $8 million funding round for Speed, a Bitcoin startup. This funding will assist Speed in furthering its mission to facilitate enterprise-level stablecoin payments through the Bitcoin layer-2 Lightning Network.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Tether expressed confidence in Speed's infrastructure, noting that it illustrates how the Lightning Network and stablecoins can effectively work in tandem to enable high-volume, low-cost transactions while ensuring strong compliance and a global reach. Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, remarked that Speed's growth and implementation efforts indicate that Bitcoin-based networks are prepared for widespread commercial use.

Source: Speed

Tether invests $8 million in Lightning Network startup to enhance stablecoin operations

Tether's Diverse Investments Across Multiple Sectors

This latest investment in Speed adds to Tether's portfolio of over 140 companies, showcasing the stablecoin issuer's strategy to diversify its investments beyond just Bitcoin mining into sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy, finance, and even sports teams.

Many of Tether’s investments have been fueled by substantial profits over the past few years, primarily from interest accrued on U.S. Treasury bills backing USDT, which is the world's largest stablecoin valued at approximately $186.3 billion.

Tether's Profitable Performance Continues

Tether reported earnings exceeding $10 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, building on a record profit of $13.4 billion in 2024. This impressive performance positions Tether as one of the most profitable companies worldwide on a per-employee basis.

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