Tether, the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin USDT, has announced a significant policy reversal regarding its support for several older blockchain networks. Following considerable community feedback, the company has opted for a less drastic approach, classifying these legacy chains as "unsupported" rather than proceeding with an outright freeze of USDT tokens.
From Freeze to 'Unsupported' Status
Initially, Tether had planned to implement a hard freeze on USDT across networks like Bitcoin Cash, Kusama, EOS, and Algorand, effective September 1, 2025. This move would have rendered tokens non-transferable and excluded them from redemption, effectively stranding user assets on those chains. However, strong pushback from developers and users on the affected ecosystems prompted Tether to rethink its strategy. Under the revised "unsupported" classification, users will retain the ability to move their USDT tokens between wallets on these networks. Crucially, Tether will cease to issue new USDT or facilitate redemptions on these platforms, marking a gradual withdrawal of official support without fully locking user funds.
Strategic Realignment and Future Focus
This compromise allows Tether to streamline its operations by winding down support for networks with negligible USDT activity, while simultaneously avoiding the reputational damage and community backlash that a hard freeze would have caused. The decision aligns with Tether's broader strategy to concentrate resources on platforms with higher adoption. This shift is further underscored by Tether's recent announcement of plans to launch native USDT on the Bitcoin network, leveraging the RGB protocol for enhanced security and integration. While USDT remains predominantly concentrated on Ethereum and Tron, this move signals a strategic pivot, discontinuing support for legacy chains to focus on robust, highly adopted ecosystems and innovative new integrations like Bitcoin.
