This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Juan C. Guerrero
Crypto was never meant to be about pleasing the system
\ While meme-stablecoins were busy getting regulatory gold stars, Tether was busy becoming the people's currency. Here's how playing nice became other issuers' biggest strategic mistake.
\ Let's talk about the two paths in the stablecoin revolution:
- Be the system's perfect student (meme-stablecoins)
- Be the market's reliable partner (USDT)
\ But here's what everyone misses: The nice guy doesn't always win. Sometimes, being market-focused is the best strategy.
The Nice Guy Strategy
Meme-stablecoins' playbook was perfect on paper:
- Partner with banks
- Embrace regulation
- Court institutions
- Play by the rules
- Be the "responsible" one
The Alpha Move
Meanwhile, Tether chose market reality:
- Focus on actual adoption
- Serve the unbanked
- Enable real utility
- Build reliable networks
- Become too important to ignore
\ Here's the billion-dollar insight: While meme-stablecoins were collecting permits, Tether was collecting users.
The Market Verdict
The results speak for themselves:
- Meme-stablecoins: Beloved by regulators, unused by masses
- USDT: Trusted by global markets, essential to global trade
The Strategic Miscalculation
Meme-stablecoins' fundamental error:
- Thought compliance meant success
- Believed institutions would reward loyalty
- Expected the system to reciprocate
- Forgot who crypto was built for
The Power of Market Focus
Tether's path to dominance:
- Focused on real users
- Built ground-up adoption
- Created genuine utility
- Became systemically important
\ But here's where it gets interesting: Tether didn't just win – it became indispensable.
\ Consider the reality:
- Top 20 holder of U.S. Treasuries
- Essential to global dollar access
- Backbone of crypto liquidity
- Tool of financial inclusion
The Ultimate Irony
While meme-stablecoins were trying to please everyone:
- Tether became too strategic to fail
- Built real-world utility
- Created genuine value
- Achieved true adoption
The Hidden Power
The real lesson isn't about rebellion – it's about understanding market needs:
- Real power comes from users
- True stability comes from utility
- Genuine adoption beats approval
- Market relevance becomes strength
The Future
The path forward is clear:
- Mass adoption > Institutional approval
- Real utility > Regulatory gold stars
- User trust > Government permits
- Market power > Official blessing
\ Welcome to the new financial order.
\ The question isn't who plays nice. The question is: Who's actually useful?
\ Meme-stablecoins tried to join the system. Tether became the system.
\ And that has made all the difference.
\ Remember: In crypto, market relevance isn't just a feature. It's the essential feature.
\ =="Meme-stablecoins,"== a term coined by Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, refers to stablecoins that prioritize regulatory compliance and institutional approval over actual market utility and user adoption – digital assets that look good on paper but fail to deliver real-world value.
This content originally appeared on HackerNoon and was authored by Juan C. Guerrero
Juan C. Guerrero | Sciencx (2025-03-07T09:40:10+00:00) How Tether’s USDT Became Essential While Meme-Stablecoins Became Compliant. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/03/07/how-tethers-usdt-became-essential-while-meme-stablecoins-became-compliant/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.