Stablecoin Tether’s Increasing Dominance Is Bad for Crypto Markets, JPMorgan Says (2024)

The increasing dominance of stablecoin tether (USDT) is bad for the wider crypto ecosystem, JPMorgan (JPM) said in a research report Thursday.

The bank said it views the "increasing concentration in tether over the past year as a negative for the stablecoin universe and the crypto ecosystem more broadly.

Stablecoins are facing regulatory risk across multiple jurisdictions, and “tether is mostly at risk given its lack of regulatory compliance and transparency,” analysts led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou wrote.

There is an opportunity for other stablecoins, however, as issuers that have been more aligned with existing regulations could benefit from any resulting crackdown and take market share, the bank said.

USD Coin (USDC), which has filed to sell shares to the public in the U.S., could be one such beneficiary, as it "appears to be looking to expand across jurisdictions and to be proactively preparing for the upcoming stablecoin regulations," the report said.

JPMorgan notes that tether has seen significant growth in both market cap and market share recently, with widespread adoption across centralized crypto exchanges and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. Last week, the stablecoin issuer reported a record-breaking $2.85 billion of profit for the previous quarter and said its flagship token has almost reached a $100 billion market capitalization.

The stablecoin has also benefited from the "turbulence" in peers such as USDC and Binance’s BUSD, the report said.

"Tether's market domination may be a 'negative' for competitors including those in the banking industry wishing for similar success, but it's never been a negative for the markets that need us the most," Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in an email after this article was published. "In fact, Tether demonstrated more resilience in a black swan event than several major U.S. banks last year ... it seems hypocritical to talk about growing concentration from the biggest bank in the world."

UPDATE (Feb. 6, 08:49 UTC): Adds response from Tether

Edited by Sheldon Reback.

Stablecoin Tether’s Increasing Dominance Is Bad for Crypto Markets, JPMorgan Says (2024)

FAQs

Stablecoin Tether’s Increasing Dominance Is Bad for Crypto Markets, JPMorgan Says? ›

"We therefore view the increasing concentration in Tether over the past year as a negative for the stablecoin universe and the crypto ecosystem more broadly." Stablecoin issuers face regulatory risk around the world, the analysts said.

What is the problem with stablecoins? ›

For all stablecoins currently in existence, there has been some price volatility in practice, i.e. fluctuation relative to the reference assets (graph 2, left-hand panel). This has led some policymakers to quip that stablecoins are neither stable nor coins (ECB, 2019; Woolard, 2019).

What does USDT dominance mean? ›

What Is Tether (USDT) Dominance? Tether (USDT) Dominance shows how much percent of the money is on USDT. There is 2 cause of the increase of USDT dominance. The first is that investors put cash on the market from the outside, which is due to the unfavorable weather in the market.

What are the risks of staking stablecoins? ›

What are the risks associated with staking stablecoins? While staking stable coins can offer rewards, it also comes with certain risks. These may include smart contract vulnerabilities, market fluctuations affecting the value of rewards, and potential loss of funds in case of protocol failures or exploits.

What is safer, USDC or USDT? ›

USDC is considered safer than USDT due to its transparency and regulatory compliance, though its value depends on the ability of issuers to maintain the peg.

What are the disadvantages of stablecoin? ›

Disadvantages of stablecoins
  • De-pegging risk: Market fluctuations, loss of confidence or liquidity issues can cause a stablecoin to deviate from its intended peg. ...
  • Centralization risks: Many stablecoin assets are issued by centralized entities that control the backing assets and the issuance process.
6 days ago

What are the risks of Usdt stablecoin? ›

in line with a stablecoin stability assessment of '4'.

These weaknesses include limited transparency on reserve management and risk appetite, lack of a regulatory framework, no asset segregation to protect against the issuer's insolvency, and limitations to USDT's primary redeemability.

Is it safe to have money in USDT? ›

USDT is generally considered safe for investment, especially as a means to hedge against the volatility of other cryptocurrencies. However, like any investment, it comes with risks, and it's essential to consider Tether's efforts to maintain transparency and regulatory compliance.

Who controls USDT? ›

Tether Limited is the company that introduced Tether (USD₮ or USDT), an asset-backed cryptocurrency stablecoin, in 2014. It is owned by the Hong Kong-based company iFinex Inc. which also owns the cryptocurrency exchange, Bitfinex.

Why should I use USDT instead of USD? ›

This 1:1 ratio between USDT and USD means its value mirrors cash for convenient conversion into other coins and tokens across the crypto ecosystem. As the dominant asset-backed stablecoin worldwide, USDT provides price stability and liquidity for billions in daily Bitcoin, Ethereum, and cross-border transactions.

Is it safe to keep money in stablecoins? ›

Don´t invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.

Why shouldn't you stake crypto? ›

There are several drawbacks to cryptocurrency staking: Your assets have limited or no liquidity during the staking lockup period. Staking rewards (as well as staked tokens) can lose value when prices are volatile. Your cryptocurrency can be slashed (partially confiscated) for violating network protocols.

Is staking USDT risky? ›

Market Risks: Despite USDT's stability, the broader cryptocurrency market is volatile, and external factors can impact the staking ecosystem. Liquidity Issues: Once staked, your USDT might not be immediately accessible, limiting your ability to use or trade these funds swiftly.

What is the difference between Tether and USDT? ›

USDT is the symbol for Tether, a cryptocurrency that is pegged to the U.S. dollar. This means USDT is a stablecoin, fluctuating in value with the U.S. dollar and backed by Tether's dollar reserves.

Does USDT lose value? ›

Guarding Against Inflation: Unlike regular money that can lose value due to inflation, USDT is tied to the US Dollar, preserving the value of your savings over time. Earn Interest: With a platform like Busha, we allow you to make money on your USDT, offering an extra way to earn without actively doing much.

Should I convert USDT to USDC? ›

The choice between USDT and USDC depends on individual preferences and requirements. USDT is more widely used, while USDC is considered more trustworthy due to its regulatory compliance and transparency.

Why did stablecoin collapse? ›

Stablecoins have lost their pegs to reference assets on multiple occasions, driven by market events such as the implosion of Terra UST, the FTX crash, regulatory enforcement actions, and recent security breaches on DeFi protocols and attacks on stablecoin liquidity pools.

Are stablecoins high risk? ›

Risks to investors and users

Algorithmic stablecoins not backed by financial assets are highly susceptible to runs. Reserves held by asset-backed stablecoins are subject to market, credit and liquidity risks.

What stablecoins have failed? ›

In May 2022, the $18.7-billion algorithmic stablecoin USD Terra (UST) and its $20-billion backing token Luna experienced a sudden and rapid collapse from $1 and $80, respectively, to nearly 0 in a matter of days.

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