The GENIUS Act: Will Tether (USDT) be the Tool for Devaluing US $37 Trillion National Debt

The growing significance of Tether (USDT), the world’s largest stablecoin by market capitalization, underscores its pivotal role in modern financial systems as a bridge between traditional finance and the digital asset economy. Pegged to the U.S. dollar, USDT offers stability in the volatile crypto market, facilitating seamless transactions, cross-border payments, and liquidity in decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. With a market cap exceeding $120 billion as of September 2025, USDT is widely used by traders, institutions, and individuals for its low transaction costs and near-instant settlement, often bypassing traditional banking delays. Its integration into global exchanges and payment systems enhances financial accessibility, particularly in regions with unstable currencies. However, concerns about Tether’s reserve transparency and regulatory scrutiny highlight risks. The U.S.’s GENIUS Act of 2025, which regulates stablecoins, indirectly bolsters USDT’s legitimacy by setting standards for reserve-backed digital assets, cementing its role as a cornerstone of the evolving financial ecosystem.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and crypto assets are poised to reshape the future of money by introducing unprecedented efficiency, accessibility, and programmability to financial systems. CBDCs, being digital versions of fiat currencies issued and backed by central banks, promise seamless, low-cost, and instant transactions, potentially reducing reliance on intermediaries like commercial banks while enhancing financial inclusion for unbanked populations. Crypto assets, including stablecoins and decentralized cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, offer alternatives that prioritize user sovereignty, cross-border transferability, and resistance to censorship. Together, they enable programmable money—smart contracts that automate transactions based on predefined conditions—revolutionizing use cases like micropayments, supply chain finance, and decentralized finance (DeFi). However, challenges like regulatory fragmentation, privacy concerns, and the risk of destabilizing traditional banking systems must be addressed to ensure their integration strengthens, rather than disrupts, global financial stability.

US Congress is deliberating on proposed Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Bill to bolster America’s economic sovereignty and global competitiveness in the digital asset era.  The legislation seeks to codify President Donald Trump’s March 2025, executive order for a national Bitcoin reserve.  The bill directs the U.S. Treasury to acquire one million Bitcoins over five years—approximately 5% of Bitcoin’s fixed 21 million supply—mirroring the scale of U.S. gold reserves, and to store them securely in a decentralized network of fortified vaults with robust physical and cybersecurity measures. Funded by reallocating existing Federal Reserve and Treasury resources, the reserve aims to harness Bitcoin’s scarcity and security as “digital gold” to strengthen the U.S. dollar, counter adversarial monetary policies, and manage national debt, with holdings locked for 20 years unless used to retire federal debt. This bold initiative, backed by bipartisan support and a 90-day Treasury feasibility report mandate (H.R. positions the U.S. as a pioneer in sovereign crypto adoption, though it faces scrutiny over custodial challenges, fiscal impacts, and integration into the federal balance sheet.

The GENIUS Act, or Guaranteeing Essential National Infrastructure in US-Stablecoins Act, is a landmark U.S. federal law signed on July 18, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump. It establishes the first comprehensive federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, which are digital assets designed to maintain a stable value relative to a fixed amount of U.S. dollars or similar liquid assets, primarily used for payments or settlements.

The GENIUS Act is a pivotal step toward integrating stablecoins into the regulated U.S. financial system, balancing innovation with consumer protection and economic priorities.  Act creates a federal licensing and supervisory system for stablecoin issuers, allowing both banks and licensed non-bank entities to issue stablecoins. Aligns state and federal regulations for consistency and establishes oversight by agencies like the Federal Reserve, Treasury, OCC, and FinCEN. Act clarifies that compliant stablecoins are neither securities nor commodities, reducing regulatory ambiguity.

Act promotes U.S. leadership in digital assets, fostering innovation and attracting investments and aims to strengthen the U.S. dollar’s global reserve currency status by increasing demand for U.S. Treasuries through

Stablecoins are digital assets on a cryptographically secured distributed ledger, intended for payments, and pegged to a stable monetary value (e.g., U.S. dollars) and excludes central bank money, bank deposits, securities, or federally insured assets.

It requires 100% reserve backing with liquid assets like U.S. dollars or short-term Treasuries to ensure stability and prevent de-pegging and mandates monthly public disclosures of reserve composition and annual audited financial statements for issuers with over $50 billion in market capitalization. Act prohibits misleading claims about government backing or FDIC insurance and Prioritizes stablecoin holders’ claims over other creditors in case of issuer insolvency.

 The GENIUS Act is the first significant U.S. law addressing digital assets, replacing a patchwork of state and federal guidance with clear, enforceable standards. It positions the U.S. as a leader in stablecoin regulation, though global coordination with frameworks like those in the EU and Hong Kong is still needed. It authorizes commercial banks and credit unions to issue stablecoins, enabling faster payments and settlement efficiency. Implementation requires coordination among regulators to enforce rules and adapt to evolving technology.

US is going through unsustainable level of debts. Globally it is a matter of concern if United States may plan in future to move it debts to stablecoin and devalue its $37 trillion national debt using stablecoins. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessenthas emphasized that stablecoins, backed by U.S. Treasury bonds, strengthen the dollar’s global dominance by increasing demand for Treasuries, potentially lowering borrowing costs and aiding debt sustainability. The GENIUS Act further promotes stablecoin adoption to bolster the U.S. financial system and apparently not to devalue debt. Analyst warn that over-reliance on stablecoins could risk dollar devaluation, but this remains speculative with U.S. policy focused on leveraging stablecoins to reinforce economic influence or to diminish debt obligations in future.

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