Introduction
- Federico Tenga, core developer at Tether, is currently working on research and development projects
- Currently focused on developing tokenized assets on Bitcoin and Lightning Network
Stablecoin Market and Use Cases
- Three established product-market fits in crypto: Bitcoin (store of value), Stablecoins (fiat payments), and Decentralized gambling
- Stablecoins initially gained popularity for arbitrage between crypto exchanges
- Primary use cases:
- Trading (current dominant use)
- Cross-border payments (especially for emerging markets)
- Savings vehicle (particularly in high-inflation countries)
Stablecoin Models and Innovation
- Distinguishes between true "stablecoins" and investment vehicles branded as stablecoins
- Views investment-focused products as fundamentally different from payment-focused stablecoins
Adoption Challenges
- Two main barriers: motivation and education
- Retail users need education on technology usage
- Institutional players face process and regulatory hurdles
Future Outlook
- Expects some market fragmentation with multiple stablecoins
- Distribution strategies require "boots on the ground" in emerging markets
- Believes high interest rates attracted many players to the market
- Long-term view: stablecoins are preparing the world for eventual Bitcoin adoption