Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has drawn a bold parallel between the rise of digital currencies and the early days of social media, claiming that USDT adoption mirrors Facebook’s explosive growth—and that Bitcoin itself represents the ultimate form of a social network.
Speaking at the Bitcoin Conference 2025, Ardoino highlighted the dramatic rise in Tether’s user base and market cap, particularly during the pandemic era. “We went from 10 million wallets and a $4 billion market cap at the start of 2020 to 100 million users and nearly $60 billion by the year’s end,” he said. “That’s Facebook-level growth.”
Today, Tether’s user base exceeds 420 million, with the majority concentrated in emerging markets and developing economies. The company is seeing a staggering pace of 30 million new wallets added per quarter, driven by increasing demand for dollar-backed digital assets in regions lacking financial stability.
Ardoino noted that as usage scaled, the company began to recognize a broader truth: money itself functions as a social connector. “We started to realize that money is the ultimate social network,” he said. “But I think BTC is actually the real social network—it connects people, ideas, and value across borders.”
His remarks reflect a growing narrative in the crypto space—where digital assets are not just tools for finance, but infrastructure for global human interaction.
As Tether continues to expand, especially in underserved regions, Ardoino’s framing of crypto as a “social network of value” could redefine how the world views financial connectivity in the digital age.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta has been a part of the team since 2021 and has solidified his position with a thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication to his work and a “detective-like” mindset. He not only covers a wide range of trending topics, he also creates reviews, PR articles and educational content. His work has also been referenced by other news outlets.
Source: https://coindoo.com/tether-ceo-bitcoin-is-the-ultimate-social-network/