Tether Launches Free Bitcoin Mining Software and Expands Wallet Access

TLDR

• Tether integrates USDT stablecoin and Tether Gold into Opera’s MiniPay wallet targeting emerging markets
• MiniPay has 12.6 million wallets across 60 countries and processed over $153 million in December
• Tether launches MiningOS, free open-source Bitcoin mining software compatible with various hardware
• MiningOS scales from home mining operations to industrial facilities without third-party vendor costs
• Both initiatives expand Tether’s reach beyond stablecoins into financial access and mining infrastructure

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Tether made two announcements on Monday that expand its presence in cryptocurrency markets. The stablecoin issuer partnered with Opera to bring USDT and Tether Gold to the MiniPay wallet. Tether also released MiningOS, an open-source platform for Bitcoin mining operations.

The MiniPay partnership focuses on providing financial services to emerging markets. Users in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia can now access Tether’s products through the mobile wallet app. The wallet requires only a phone number to activate and works on Android and iOS devices.

MiniPay operates across 60 countries worldwide. The platform has 12.6 million activated wallets and has completed 350 million transactions. During the fourth quarter of 2024, the wallet experienced 50% user growth with most new users from emerging markets.

December transaction volume through MiniPay exceeded $153 million. The figures show growing adoption of dollar-denominated digital payments in mobile-first regions. Users can access USDT for everyday transactions and Tether Gold for long-term savings protection.

MiniPay Wallet Features

The MiniPay wallet is built on the Celo blockchain as a self-custodial solution. Users maintain control of their private keys and funds. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated the company aims to provide reliable access to stable value for those who need it most.

Tether Gold, which trades under the ticker XAUT, represents physical gold holdings. The token reached an all-time high of $5,600 in late January following gold market trends. XAUT has 712,747 tokens in circulation with a market cap of $3.4 billion according to CoinGecko.

The stablecoin market shows mixed signals despite MiniPay’s growth. Total stablecoin market capitalization started declining in December after two years of expansion. CryptoQuant data shows more than $4 billion in net outflows from exchanges as users withdraw funds.

Bitcoin Mining Software Launch

Tether’s MiningOS release provides miners with a free alternative to proprietary software. The platform is licensed under Apache 2.0, allowing anyone to use, modify and distribute the code. Tether first announced plans for mining software in June 2024.

The operating system works with various mining hardware types. This differs from other solutions like Block’s mining stack, which only supports specific equipment. MiningOS includes a self-hosted architecture that connects devices through peer-to-peer networks.

Users can adjust settings through an accompanying platform based on their operation size. CEO Paolo Ardoino said the software scales from single-machine home setups to multi-location industrial facilities. The system uses Holepunch P2P protocols to eliminate centralized services and third-party dependencies.

Tether designed MiningOS to lower barriers for new Bitcoin miners. The company said closed systems and proprietary tools have limited industry growth. The open-source approach introduces transparency and collaboration into Bitcoin mining infrastructure.

The dual announcements demonstrate Tether’s expansion strategy beyond its core stablecoin business. The company has invested in tokenization, artificial intelligence and decentralized finance projects throughout 2025. Tether has also increased its Bitcoin and gold reserves during this period.

Both MiningOS and the MiniPay integration are now available to users. The mining software can be downloaded and deployed immediately. MiniPay users can access USDT and XAUT through the latest app update in supported countries.

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