Tether Enters Health Tech Market with Privacy-Focused Fitness App

TLDR

• Tether unveiled QVAC Health, a wellness platform that keeps all health and fitness data on user devices instead of cloud servers
• The app connects to popular wearables and uses artificial intelligence that runs locally to analyze workouts, meals, and sleep patterns
• Computer vision features scan food photos to calculate nutritional content without uploading images to external servers
• The launch is part of Tether’s expansion into technology sectors beyond its $130 billion stablecoin business
• Planned updates will add direct Bluetooth connections to fitness devices, eliminating the need for manufacturer cloud services

Tether released a wellness application on Wednesday that processes health data entirely on user devices. The stablecoin issuer is diversifying into consumer technology with a platform designed to address privacy concerns in the fitness tracking industry.

The new app, QVAC Health, consolidates information from multiple wearables and health apps into one interface. No data leaves the user’s phone or tablet during processing. The platform works offline and uses artificial intelligence that operates locally on the device.

QVAC Health connects to popular fitness devices including Apple Health, Oura Ring, and various Android wearables. Users can track workouts, meals, medications, and symptoms through the encrypted dashboard. The app analyzes patterns in activity, sleep quality, and recovery without transmitting information to external servers.

The platform includes experimental tools that use computer vision to estimate calories and macronutrients from meal photographs. These calculations happen on the device, and no images are uploaded to cloud storage. The app then combines nutritional data with fitness metrics to identify health patterns.

Local Processing Eliminates Third-Party Data Access

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the platform gives users full control over their biometric information. The company positions QVAC Health as an alternative to traditional fitness apps that store data on corporate servers.

The app downloads AI models through peer-to-peer connections rather than centralized app stores. This approach allows the software to function without internet connectivity after initial setup. All health metrics remain encrypted on the user’s device.

Future updates will introduce direct Bluetooth Low Energy connections to compatible wearables. This feature will let QVAC Health pull data straight from devices without routing through manufacturer APIs. Users would no longer need to share information with companies like Apple, Samsung, or Fitbit to use their hardware.

The fitness tracker market generated $52.29 billion in revenue during 2024. Industry analysts project growth to $189.98 billion by 2032, creating opportunities for new platforms that differentiate on privacy features.

Stablecoin Company Expands Technology Investments

The wellness app launch follows Tether’s recent investment in Generative Bionics, an Italian robotics company. The stablecoin issuer committed to a €70 million funding round for the humanoid robot developer earlier this week.

Tether has deployed capital into brain-computer interfaces, agricultural technology, and various AI projects over the past year. These investments are funded by interest earned on U.S. Treasury holdings that back the company’s USDT stablecoin. Tether currently manages approximately $130 billion in reserves.

QVAC Health competes with decentralized health platforms like Rejuve and CUDIS in the growing wearable technology sector. The app is available for download on iOS and Android devices. Tether has not disclosed user adoption targets or monetization plans for the platform.

The QVAC framework that powers the health app was launched by Tether Data in May 2024. The system is designed to run AI applications on personal devices without centralized infrastructure.

The post Tether Enters Health Tech Market with Privacy-Focused Fitness App appeared first on Blockonomi.

Source: https://blockonomi.com/tether-enters-health-tech-market-with-privacy-focused-fitness-app/