Why Is MiniPay Expanding USDT Support Now?
Opera has expanded support for Tether’s USDT stablecoin inside its MiniPay wallet, extending dollar-denominated payments and savings tools across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. The update comes as MiniPay reports rapid growth in phone-verified wallets and transaction activity, particularly tied to USDT usage.
MiniPay, a self-custodial wallet built on the Celo blockchain and embedded directly into Opera’s mobile browser, now supports both USDT and Tether Gold (XAUT). The setup allows users to store and transfer dollar- and gold-backed tokens from their phones without relying on separate crypto applications.
The wallet’s integration within a widely used browser has helped it gain traction in regions where banking access can be costly or limited. By keeping the wallet native to the browser experience, MiniPay lowers friction for users who may be new to digital assets but already rely on Opera for everyday internet use.
Investor Takeaway
What Do the Latest Usage Numbers Show?
According to Opera, MiniPay has surpassed 12 million activated wallets since launch and has processed hundreds of millions of transactions. In December alone, the company reported roughly 7 million phone-verified USDT wallets and more than 3 million peer-to-peer USDT payments.
Transaction volumes have followed a similar pattern. Opera said more than $150 million was sent or received through MiniPay in December, reflecting rising use of the wallet for day-to-day transfers rather than occasional crypto activity.
MiniPay connects to local payment partners and exchanges, allowing users to move funds between traditional payment rails and on-chain balances. This on- and off-ramp access has been a key factor in making stablecoins usable beyond crypto-native audiences.
Why Gold-Linked Tokens Are Part of the Offering
Alongside USDT, MiniPay now supports Tether Gold, a token backed by physical gold. Users can convert between USDT and XAUT directly inside the app, giving access to both dollar- and gold-linked value without leaving the wallet.
Gold-backed tokens have gained attention in markets dealing with currency weakness or inflation. For users in those regions, digital gold is often framed as a savings tool rather than a speculative asset, especially where access to physical gold or foreign currency is restricted.
By offering both tokens in a single interface, MiniPay is targeting practical use cases such as saving, remittances, and short-term value storage, rather than price-driven crypto activity.
Investor Takeaway
How Does This Fit Into Tether’s Broader Growth?
The MiniPay expansion follows Tether’s disclosure that it generated more than $10 billion in net profit for 2025, with USDT circulation reaching about $186 billion. The stablecoin is backed largely by U.S. Treasuries and other reserve assets, according to the company’s latest attestation.
As USDT supply has expanded, so has its role outside traditional crypto trading venues. Embedded wallets and consumer-facing apps are becoming an increasingly important distribution channel, especially in regions where stablecoins function as a substitute for local currency exposure.
Market reaction to the MiniPay update reflected investor interest in that trend. Opera shares rose sharply following the announcement, underscoring how stablecoin integration is now viewed as a growth lever rather than a niche crypto feature.
Taken together, MiniPay’s usage data and Tether’s financial results point to a stablecoin market driven less by trading cycles and more by everyday financial needs in emerging economies. As browser-based and app-native wallets continue to spread, stablecoins are moving closer to being consumer payment tools rather than specialist crypto instruments.
