Tether has lowered its fundraising target to $5 billion, stating that the previous estimate of $20 billion was its "maximum sale amount."

Stablecoin issuer Tether has lowered its potential fundraising target from the previously circulated $15 billion to $20 billion to approximately $5 billion, due to some investors questioning its $500 billion valuation target. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino clarified in an interview that the $15 billion to $20 billion figure was not a specific fundraising target, but rather the "maximum amount of equity it is willing to sell," a statement that had been misunderstood by the market. He stated that Tether's current profitability is sufficient, and the company is "perfectly comfortable" even without equity financing. Ardoino also compared Tether to some artificial intelligence companies, saying, "Many AI companies generate the same amount of profit as us, but with a negative sign." Data shows that Tether's profit last year was approximately $10 billion, mainly from returns on its reserve assets, but profits are projected to decline by about 25% year-on-year by 2025. Previous reports indicated that Tether explored a funding round of up to $20 billion in September 2025, based on a valuation of $500 billion. (FT)