Cryptocurrencies

Banks Want In on Tether’s Billions in Stablecoin Profits

  • Banks are starting to issue stablecoins for payments, payroll
  • SocGen, Standard Chartered are among banks expanding efforts

Logos of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether outside a cryptocurrency exchange.

Photographer: David Lombeida/Bloomberg
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Until recently, banks watched from the sidelines with envy as stablecoin market leader Tether Holdings boasted of billions in profits. Now they want in.

Earlier this year, Societe Generale - Forge made its Euro-backed stablecoin — which basically represents fiat on a blockchain ledger — available to retail investors. Financial group Oddo BHF SCA is also working on a Euro-denominated one, and London-based Revolut is considering issuing its own version. AllUnity, a venture involving Deutsche-Bank owned DWS, plans to issue another next year, and BBVA is also working on an entry.