Tether has strengthened its foothold in the Middle East after securing a new regulatory approval for USDT within the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). This milestone comes shortly after Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin received similar recognition, and follows Binance’s recent regulatory clearance in the region.
USDT Gains Status as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token
According to Tether’s announcement, USDT is now recognized as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token (AFRT) under the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of ADGM. This status allows licensed and authorized entities in Abu Dhabi to offer regulated services involving USDT on multiple major blockchains, including Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON.
This approval expands on ADGM’s earlier recognition of USDT on Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche. Tether emphasized that this broader multi-chain approval enhances interoperability and allows USDT to be used as a secure settlement asset across both centralized and decentralized applications while preserving FSRA compliance standards.
Tether highlighted that this achievement follows extensive engagement with ADGM’s regulators to demonstrate the stablecoin issuer’s commitment to transparency, operational resilience, and regulatory compliance.
UAE Strengthens Its Role as a Crypto Leader
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino praised the UAE for setting a global benchmark in digital asset regulation. He noted that the new approval reflects Tether’s dedication to supporting innovation and expanding financial inclusion. According to Ardoino, integrating USDT into ADGM’s regulated ecosystem creates new opportunities for collaboration and growth throughout the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi continues to serve as a hub for major crypto firms. Binance recently received full regulatory approval from the FSRA, becoming the first exchange in the region to secure authorization for regulated trading, custody, settlement, and off-exchange operations.
These developments highlight the UAE’s accelerating momentum in establishing a regulated and innovation-friendly environment for global crypto adoption.
