Tether’s USDT Stablecoin Gains Multi-Chain Approval in Abu Dhabi’s ADGM

Tether's USDT stablecoin has been recognized as an Accepted Fiat-Referenced Token (AFRT) by the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). This allows regulated activities involving USDT on several blockchains including Aptos, Celo, Cosmos, Kaia, Near, Polkadot, Tezos, TON, and TRON.

This approval extends previous recognition that included Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, covering nearly all major blockchains where USDT operates.
ADGM acts as a financial center and regulatory hub for digital assets in the UAE, ensuring compliance and investor protection.
The collaboration between Tether and ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) reflects efforts to adhere to compliance and transparency standards.
USDT joins five other stablecoins listed as AFRTs, indicating growing acceptance of stablecoins in the region.

Graph of the market share of USDT among all the stablecoins | Source: DefiLlama

Tether's alignment with ADGM is part of its strategy to expand in the Middle East, including plans to issue a stablecoin pegged to the UAE dirham (AED). In 2025, Tether partnered with Reelly Tech to enhance USDT transactions in the UAE real estate sector. The ADGM decision supports interoperability across blockchain networks and new settlement options for institutions and applications, strengthening Tether's position in the fintech landscape.