Tether, issuer of USDT, invests $200 million in Whop to expand stablecoin payments

CoinDesk

by Krisztian Sandor

February 25, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Tether, the issuer of the widely-used stablecoin USDT, has made a significant investment in Whop, an online marketplace, to expand the use of stablecoins in payments. The company is injecting $200 million into Whop, valuing the startup at $1.6 billion. This partnership aims to integrate Tether's crypto wallet tools and its USDT and USAT tokens directly into Whop’s platform, enabling 18.4 million users to transact using stablecoins without relying on traditional banking systems. The move is part of a broader strategy to boost the adoption of crypto payments globally. Whop operates as a digital marketplace where creators sell access to software tools, trading groups, online communities, and educational courses. With rapid growth, Whop reports a 25% month-over-month increase in gross transaction volume and annual earnings of around $3 billion for its participants. By embedding Tether's wallet tools, the platform will allow users to hold and transact in stablecoins like USDT directly within its ecosystem. This integration also gives creators the ability to accept digital dollar payments and settle transactions globally without intermediaries like banks or card networks. The investment is intended to support Whop’s expansion across key regions including Latin America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, as well as the addition of lending and borrowing tools powered by decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure. Tether’s move underscores its ambition to deepen the presence of stablecoins in everyday online commerce and consumer-facing platforms. With $185 billion in circulation, USDT is already a dominant player in facilitating U.S. dollar transactions in emerging markets, and this deal represents an effort to further cement its position. This partnership highlights the growing intersection of crypto and traditional e-commerce, offering users and creators a new way to engage with digital payments. For Tether, it’s a strategic play to expand the utility of its stablecoins beyond niche crypto use cases into mainstream online marketplaces. As more platforms adopt such tools, the integration of stablecoins could become a key driver of broader financial inclusion and innovation in global trade.

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Originally published on CoinDesk on 2/25/2026