Catenaa, Friday, December 19, 2025- Tether, issuer of the USDT stablecoin, led an $8 million funding round in Speed1 Inc., a payment processor building settlement rails using the Bitcoin Lightning Network, the company said Tuesday.
Ego Death Capital also participated in the round.
Speed processes more than $1.5 billion in annual payment volume and serves over 1 million users, including consumers, creators, platforms, and enterprise merchants.
Tether said the investment aims to expand USDT’s utility in real-world payments and strengthen Bitcoin-aligned financial infrastructure.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said Speed demonstrates the potential of Lightning Network technology when paired with a liquid digital dollar like USDT.
The investment reflects Tether’s strategy to support practical infrastructure that reduces friction in payments and enables reliable settlement rails for mainstream commerce.
The company noted that its investment arm has funded a broad portfolio, including ventures in artificial intelligence, robotics, and gold, and recently made an offer to acquire Juventus Football Club.
USDT’s total supply currently stands at $186 billion.
