Tether's Aggressive Gold Accumulation Tops 140 Tons, Valued at $4.4 Billion After Record Q4 Purchase
On January 26, 2026, Tether officially announced the acquisition of 27 metric tons of gold during the fourth quarter of 2025. This purchase is currently valued at approximately $4.4 billion, reflecting the surge in gold prices which crossed the $5,000 per ounce mark in early 2026. Key details regarding Tether’s gold reserves and strategy include: Total Holdings: Following this Q4 acquisition, Tether’s total gold reserves have reached approximately 143 metric tons (up from 116 tons at the end of Q3 2025).Global Ranking: With these holdings, Tether now ranks among the top 30 gold holders in the world, possessing more gold than the central banks of countries such as Greece, Australia, Qatar, and South Korea.Comparison to Central Banks: Tether’s Q4 purchase of 27 tons exceeded the quarterly gold acquisitions of almost every individual central bank during the same period, continuing a trend established in Q3 when it was the single largest gold buyer globally.Reserve Composition: While approximately 12 to 14 tons of this gold specifically back the Tether Gold (\(XAU\tau \)) token, the vast majority serves as a "hard asset" reserve to back the \(USDT\) stablecoin and strengthen the company's equity buffer.Profit-Driven Strategy: Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that these purchases are funded by the company's net profits—which exceeded $10 billion in the first nine months of 2025 alone—rather than from the primary reserves provided by \(USDT\) holders.
Market Influence: Analysts from investment firms like Jefferies have noted that Tether’s aggressive accumulation accounted for nearly 2% of total global gold demand in late 2025, contributing to the metal's record-breaking price performance.