Tether is a blockchain-based cryptocurrency whose cryptoсoins are backed by an equivalent number of traditional fiat currencies such as the dollar, euro, or Japanese yen, which are held in a specific bank account. Tether tokens, the native tokens of the Tether network, are traded under the symbol USDT.

What are USDT key features and how does it work?

Tether belongs to a group of cryptocurrencies called stablecoins, which aim to maintain the stability of the cryptocurrency value, in contrast to the sharp fluctuations of other popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. This would allow it to be used as a medium of exchange and a way of storing value, instead of being used as a speculative investment.

Tether belongs to the category of fiat-collateralized stablecoins. This means that a fiat currency such as the US dollar, euro, or yen supports every cryptocurrency in circulation. Other categories include crypto-collateralized stablecoins that use cryptocurrency reserves as collateral or non-collateralized stablecoins. Non-collateralized stablecoins do not have any collateral but work similarly to a reserve bank to maintain the required number of tokens, depending on the economic situation.

The main reason for Tether’s creation was to build the necessary bridge between fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies and offer users transparency, stability, and minimal transaction fees. USDT is pegged to the US dollar and maintains a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar in value terms. However, Tether Ltd. does not provide any guarantees with respect to any redemption or exchange of Tether for real money, i.e. Tether can’t be exchanged for US dollars.

Bitcoin trading to Tether still accounts for the majority of BTC traded for fiat or stablecoins, according to research by CryptoCompare, a global cryptocurrency market data provider. In February 2021, 57% of all Bitcoin trading volume was concentrated done in BTC/USDT trading pair. Tether remains the main source of liquidity for the cryptocurrency market.

Tether was launched as RealCoin in July 2014 and was renamed Tether in November by Tether Ltd., which is responsible for maintaining fiat currency reserves. Trading began It began trading in February 2015.

Where can you buy Tether?

You can buy Tether (USDT) on a large number of cryptocurrency exchanges. Binance, OKEx, HitBTC, Huobi Global are some of the most popular Tether trading exchanges.

In fact, the average daily USDT trading volume often equals or even exceeds the Bitcoin trading volume. This is especially true for exchanges where fiat-to-crypto trading pairs are not available as it provides a viable alternative to the US dollar.