[WDAF 2026] Tether eyes USDT as bridge between Korea, global consumers

USDT, the world's largest dollar-pegged stablecoin, could help South Korean businesses reach millions of overseas consumers, particularly in emerging markets where access to international payment services remains limited, Tether co-founder and CEO Paolo Ardoino said Monday.

"Korea is one of the most advanced economies in the world, and it sells to the world," Ardoino said in a video address at the World Digital Assets Forum 2026 in Seoul.

"Those are the same markets where USDT is already popular," he said.

"I see ourselves as the second layer for international trade, connecting businesses with the customers who already use digital dollars," he added.

In July, Hyundai Card announced that it had completed a cross-border payment pilot using Tether's USDT stablecoin to transfer $20,000 between Hyundai Motor's US and Mexican subsidiaries.

Conducted on the Avalanche blockchain, the transaction took about seven minutes, compared with three to four hours for conventional bank transfers, according to Hyundai Card.

"This is a huge win for companies like Hyundai," Ardoino said.

He also highlighted growing demand for Korean beauty products in Latin America as an opportunity for USDT to facilitate cross-border commerce.

Despite strong consumer interest, many shoppers in the region find it more difficult to purchase directly from Korean e-commerce platforms than from global marketplaces such as Amazon.

"The demand is there, but the payment solution isn't yet. Many customers (in the region) don't have international credit cards, and local payment systems don't connect with Korean platforms," he said.

USDT could help bridge that gap, allowing consumers to pay using digital dollars they already hold while enabling Korean sellers to receive funds almost immediately, he suggested.

"A huge new customer base becomes reachable from Korea using USDT, so that small and medium-sized businesses that don't have an easy way to connect with the rest of the world today can leverage USDT," he said.