Tether's USAT stablecoin is now live on the Celo blockchain, the company announced Wednesday. The launch brings native mint, burn, and gas fee capabilities to the network, aiming to simplify transactions and expand access to regulated stablecoins in emerging markets.
What USAT brings to Celo
USAT on Celo supports native mint and burn — meaning users can create and redeem the stablecoin directly on the blockchain without relying on third-party bridges. The token also functions as a gas asset, letting users pay transaction fees in USAT rather than Celo's native token, CELO. That's a practical shift for merchants and remittance users who want to avoid juggling multiple currencies just to move money.
Targeting emerging markets
Tether framed the rollout as a push into regions where stablecoins are increasingly used as a store of value and payment rail. The company said the integration is meant to simplify transactions and broaden access to regulated stablecoins in emerging economies — places where banking infrastructure is thin but mobile phone penetration is high. Celo's mobile-first design makes it a natural fit for that goal.
How it works
USAT is an ERC-20 token on Celo, which is itself an EVM-compatible blockchain. That means existing wallets and dApps that support Celo can handle USAT with minimal changes. The native mint and burn functions are handled through Tether's smart contracts, while the gas fee functionality is baked into Celo's core protocol. Users don't need to hold CELO to pay for transactions if they hold USAT — the network automatically deducts fees in the stablecoin.
The launch is part of Tether's broader strategy of putting USAT on multiple blockchains. The company has not announced which network will be next.
