Tether Boosts Italian AI Firm
Stablecoin issuer Tether expanded its push into artificial intelligence with a new investment in Generative Bionics, an Italian robotics startup developing advanced humanoid machines for industrial and human-centric applications. The company confirmed on Monday that it participated in the startup’s €70 million ($81 million) funding round, which was led by CDP Venture Capital’s AI fund and joined by AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next and RoboIT. The investment is another step in Tether’s strategy to back emerging technologies that enhance human capability and reduce dependence on centralized Big Tech platforms.
Generative Bionics is a spinoff of the Italian Institute of Technology, and it is focused on building “real-world physical AI capabilities” into humanoid robots. These machines are designed for industrial-scale performance, including factory floor productivity and seamless human interaction.
Tether said its contribution will accelerate the company’s progress across multiple fronts, including validating its humanoid platform for industrial use, developing its first production facility, and integrating its technology into the wider robotics ecosystem. The firm added that the investment reinforces its interest in Physical AI systems and edge-based AI solutions, both of which are seen as crucial to next-generation robotics.
Tether’s involvement in the funding round is consistent with its investment strategy, which centers on five categories: finance, power, data, education and evolution. Robotics and AI initiatives fall under the evolution segment, where Tether has been very active thanks to a strong 2025 balance sheet. Over the past few months, the company also reportedly explored a much larger $1.15 billion investment in Neura, a German AI robotics firm.
Additionally, the company supports several other AI ventures, including brain-computer interface pioneer Blackrock Neurotech and a collaboration with Northern Data and Rumble to deploy a 20,000-GPU global compute network. The goal of this initiative is to enable open and privacy-preserving AI development at a scale that is normally controlled by major tech conglomerates. Tether framed its backing of Generative Bionics as part of this effort to cultivate decentralized, human-empowering technologies across sectors that extend far beyond stablecoins.
Tether’s USDT Wins Key Approval in Abu Dhabi
In other Tether-related news, USDT achieved a major regulatory breakthrough in Abu Dhabi by gaining formal recognition as an “accepted fiat-referenced token” in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
The designation was announced on Monday, and it allows licensed institutions operating in the international financial center to offer regulated trading, custody and settlement services involving the world’s largest stablecoin. The move strengthens USDT’s position in a jurisdiction that very quickly became a magnet for digital asset firms looking for clarity, institutional access and a predictable regulatory environment.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said the recognition proves how central stablecoins have become to modern financial infrastructure, especially for remittances, cross-border payments and digital asset markets. ADGM already treated USDT as an accepted virtual asset across its issuance on Ethereum, Solana and Avalanche, but the new classification expands its use cases and paves the way for deeper integration into institutional financial workflows. The framework could boost the stablecoin’s role in payment corridors, settlement operations and regulated custody solutions in the region.
USDT’s approval comes during a wider push by Abu Dhabi authorities to formalize stablecoin activity. Ripple’s RLUSD recently secured the same fiat-referenced token status, adding another regulated option for institutional use. At the same time, a consortium featuring ADQ, International Holding Company and First Abu Dhabi Bank is preparing a dirham-pegged stablecoin, pending central bank approval.
Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE have stepped up as emerging global hubs for digital assets and tokenized finance by relying on clearer rules than many Western jurisdictions. ADGM has become a central venue for licensing exchanges, custodians and blockchain firms looking for structured oversight. To Tether, the new regulatory designation is both validation and an opportunity, as it offers a pathway for deeper adoption of USDT in a region that is getting ready to shape the future of regulated digital finance.