Timothy Morano
Jul 29, 2026 16:51
Tether’s USA₮, issued by Anchorage Bank, launches on Celo with gas fee support, expanding stablecoin adoption on the network.
Tether’s US dollar-pegged stablecoin, USA₮, has launched on the Celo blockchain, introducing native mint, burn, and gas fee payment support from day one. This marks Celo as the second blockchain to host USA₮ natively, following Ethereum. Uniquely, users can pay for transactions directly in USA₮, removing the need for Celo’s native token as gas—a feature enabled by Celo’s CIP-64 fee abstraction protocol.
This launch could significantly enhance stablecoin adoption within Celo’s ecosystem. As of Q2 2026, Celo accounted for 28% of all USD₮ transfers across blockchains, driven by its focus on mobile-first financial applications. Weekly active users (WAUs) of USD₮ on Celo grew by 67% during that period, solidifying its position as a key distribution network for Tether’s assets.
Anchorage Digital Bank, the federally chartered issuer of USA₮, emphasized the stablecoin’s design to meet U.S. regulatory standards. “USA₮ brings a compliant US dollar stablecoin to the rails millions already use for remittances, savings, and commerce,” said Marek Olszewski, CEO of Celo Core Co. Tether’s CEO, Bo Hines, added, “Expanding USA₮ to Celo was deliberate. This network already operates at scale, aligning with USA₮’s goals.”
USA₮, which currently trades near its $1 peg at $0.9987 and holds a market cap of $118.4 billion as of July 29, 2026, is a cornerstone of crypto liquidity. It represents roughly 62% of all stablecoins in circulation globally. The stablecoin has become a focal point amidst tightening regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe, with key compliance deadlines looming later this year. Notably, Tether burned $2.5 billion worth of USDT earlier this month, signaling adjustments to liquidity and demand.
Celo’s integration of USA₮ also benefits from its partnerships with consumer-focused wallets like Valora and Opera-backed MiniPay. MiniPay, which boasts 18 million users, will soon add USA₮ support alongside its existing offerings of USD₮ and Tether Gold (XAUt0). Over 50% of gas fees on Celo are already paid in stablecoins, particularly USD₮, highlighting the network’s shift towards a stablecoin-dominated economy.
The deployment of USA₮ on Celo aligns with the network’s mission to build programmable financial rails for mobile users in emerging markets. Future integrations are expected across key DeFi protocols like Uniswap and Morpho, potentially expanding USA₮’s utility further. Developers can begin building with USA₮ today by accessing Celo’s official documentation.
This launch underscores the growing role of stablecoins in cross-border transactions and decentralized finance. With over 90% of XAUt0 holders already on Celo, the addition of USA₮ strengthens its position as a blockchain optimized for stablecoin-centric financial applications. All eyes will now be on how this integration impacts adoption metrics and whether it sets a precedent for stablecoin gas fee payments across other networks.
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