Tether’s USDT stablecoin has been formally recognised as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token within Abu Dhabi Global Market, the UAE financial free zone announced on 8 December. The designation allows licensed firms supervised by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority to conduct regulated activities involving USDT across a wide range of blockchain networks.
The approval covers USDT issued on Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON and Tron. It builds on earlier recognition of the token on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche, expanding multi-chain support and enabling broader institutional use within ADGM.
Tether said the decision follows extensive engagement with the regulator to demonstrate its operational resilience and compliance approach. “The UAE continues to set the global standard for digital asset regulation, and Tether is proud to contribute to this leadership,” CEO Paolo Ardoino said. He added that the recognition strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for compliant digital finance.
Expanded Interoperability for Regional Markets
The new classification enhances USDT’s role as a settlement instrument for trading, payments and decentralised applications while ensuring adherence to FSRA safeguards. It also supports the UAE’s wider strategy to integrate blockchain systems into its financial infrastructure under robust supervisory standards.
With this decision, nearly all major blockchains carrying USDT now fall under ADGM’s regulated framework. Market participants in the region are expected to benefit from greater liquidity, improved interoperability and a wider choice of network infrastructure.
Analysts note that the move strengthens the UAE’s attractiveness to global crypto and fintech firms at a time when jurisdictions compete to set clear rules for stablecoins. The expansion also signals increasing regulatory acceptance of multi-chain stablecoin models that support diverse technical ecosystems.