Tether Boosts Reserves With 27 Ton Gold Purchase as Bitcoin Underperforms ⋆ ZyCrypto

Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, has revealed that it purchased 27 tons of gold in the last quarter of 2025. The firm has been aggressively accumulating gold, purchasing 26 tons in the third quarter. The purchases coincide with a massive rally in gold prices to record highs, while Bitcoin, popularly known as digital gold, lags behind after a recent drop to 2026 lows.

Tether Increases Gold Reserves With 27-Ton Purchase

In a statement revealing its Q4 2025 purchase, Tether noted that it was among the top 30 largest holders of gold globally. The company’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, noted that with its recent purchase, Tether is now ranked as a sovereign gold holder. 

“Through Tether Gold, we are operating at a scale that now places the Tether Gold Investment Fund alongside sovereign gold holders, and that carries real responsibility,” Ardoino stated.

Following this recent purchase, Tether now holds 550 tons of gold. However, the majority of the reserves backing the USDT stablecoin are held in US Treasury bills. In fact, gold accounts for only 7% of the entire Tether reserve holdings.  

Tether’s growing gold reserves coincide with rising prices, following the metal’s surge above $5,000 for the first time in history. Additionally, demand for precious metals has been high, with silver also recording a 59% year-to-date increase. 

Bitcoin Underperforms Against Gold as Peter  Schiff Dismisses “Reserve” Status

As gold records an uptick in demand, Bitcoin has been falling, recently hitting its lowest level in 2026. At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $88,180, down nearly 9% over the past two weeks. 

During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Bitcoin critic Peter Schiff dismissed its status as a reserve currency, calling it a “complete waste of capital.” He also called out ongoing efforts by various countries to establish a Bitcoin strategic reserve, saying it was a bailout fund for the asset. 

Schiff also added that, unlike Bitcoin, gold was “real money” and “valuable” because it could be used to make purchases. In contrast, Bitcoin was an asset whose value depended on demand, and the people who made money from it were those who bought it years earlier.