Tether Adds $876M in Bitcoin as Major Holders Expand Reserves

Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, has acquired an estimated 9,850 Bitcoin worth approximately $876 million during the fourth quarter of 2025. The purchase follows the company’s established policy of allocating 15% of quarterly profits toward Bitcoin reserves.

USDT 发行商 Tether (泰达) 在 2025 年 4 季度应该是购买了 9,850 枚 BTC ($8.76 亿)：
2025/11/7 从 Bitfinex 提取 961 枚 BTC ($9718 万)、2026 年的第一天提取 8,888.8 枚 BTC ($7.78 亿) 到他们的 BTC 储备地址。

◎Tether 自 2023 年 5 月发布公告决定定期用公司利润的 15%… https://t.co/Y3dZBa33Br pic.twitter.com/Z3PiY5u9pE

— 余烬 (@EmberCN) January 1, 2026

On-chain analyst Ember tracked two significant withdrawals to Tether’s reserve wallet. The first transaction moved 961 BTC valued at $97.18 million from Bitfinex on November 7, 2025. A second, larger transfer of 8,888.8 BTC worth $778 million occurred on January 1, 2026.

Tether’s Bitcoin reserve address now holds 96,185 BTC, valued at $8.42 billion. This positions the stablecoin giant as the operator of the fifth-largest Bitcoin wallet globally. The company’s average acquisition price stands at approximately $51,117 per coin.

Based on current market prices, Tether’s Bitcoin holdings represent an unrealized profit of $3.524 billion. The company initiated its Bitcoin reserve strategy in May 2023, consistently executing quarterly purchases since then.

Tether Expands Latin American Footprint

Meanwhile, Tether announced a strategic investment in Parfin on November 20, 2025. The Latin American platform specializes in digital asset custody, tokenization, trading, and management services for institutional clients.

Tether Invests in Parfin to Accelerate Institutional Use Cases of Digital Assets in LATAM
Learn more: https://t.co/a6e0HvlYTt

— Tether (@Tether_to) November 20, 2025

The partnership targets accelerated USDT adoption across institutional use cases in the region. Financial institutions will gain access to USD₮ as a core settlement asset through Parfin’s infrastructure.

Target applications include global transactions and real-world asset tokenization. The collaboration also covers yield-bearing credit markets encompassing trade finance and commercial receivables.

Parfin provides institutions with tools to explore digital assets within regulatory frameworks. The platform offers scalable solutions combining accessibility with institutional-grade precision and regulatory compliance.

Strategy Continues Weekly Bitcoin Accumulation

In contrast, Michael Saylor’s Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, executed another Bitcoin purchase on December 29, 2025. The acquisition came amid broader crypto market weakness as both Bitcoin and MSTR stock faced year-end losses.

🐂 Strategy Buys Big BTC — Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) just scooped up 1,129 BTC ($108.8M) at around $88.5K each after a brief pause, boosting its massive corporate Bitcoin treasury. Michael Saylor hinted at the buy with “Back to Orange.

— Ocean EdgeX (@OceanEdgeX) December 30, 2025

An SEC filing revealed Strategy acquired 1,229 BTC for $108.8 million. The average purchase price reached $88,568 per Bitcoin, significantly higher than Tether’s historical average.

Strategy funded the acquisition through share sales. The company sold 663,450 MSTR shares, generating net proceeds of $108.8 million directed entirely toward Bitcoin purchases.

The company has achieved a BTC yield of 23.2% year-to-date following this transaction. Strategy now holds 672,497 BTC acquired for a total of $50.44 billion at an average price of $74,997 per coin.

This positions Strategy as the largest corporate Bitcoin holder globally. The company’s aggressive accumulation strategy continues despite market volatility and declining share prices.

Tether and Strategy represent two distinct approaches to corporate Bitcoin accumulation. Tether allocates a fixed percentage of profits, while Strategy actively raises capital through equity sales.

Tether’s average acquisition price of $51,117 compares favorably to Strategy’s $74,997 average. This difference reflects Tether’s longer accumulation timeline and consistent buying discipline.

Combined, the two entities hold over 768,000 BTC worth more than $67 billion at current prices. Their continued accumulation signals sustained institutional confidence in Bitcoin as a reserve asset.

The fourth quarter saw both companies execute significant purchases despite market uncertainty. Bitcoin traded below its 2024 highs throughout much of the period, creating buying opportunities.

Following these developments, institutional Bitcoin adoption maintains its upward trajectory. Major corporate buyers remain active despite short-term price fluctuations affecting retail sentiment.

The concentration of Bitcoin among large holders continues to increase. Tether’s position as the fifth-largest wallet holder reinforces the trend toward institutional dominance in Bitcoin markets.