Tether and Opera Expand Financial Access in Emerging Markets Through MiniPay

Rhea-AI Summary

Tether expanded USDT and Tether Gold (XAU₮0) support in Opera MiniPay (NASDAQ: OPRA), a self-custodial Celo wallet, to broaden dollar‑denominated access in emerging markets. MiniPay now reports over 12.6M activated wallets, 350M transactions, and 3.64M estimated on‑chain Celo users.

In December 2025, MiniPay had 7M phone‑verified USDT wallets, ~300k unique USDT buyers (+33% MoM), >96M USDT transferred, and >$153M sent/received overall; users added >$49M via local partners.

Positive

• USDT market capitalization >$186 billion
• MiniPay: 12.6M activated wallets and 350M transactions
• Q4 2025: 50% growth in on‑chain users (MiniPay)
• December 2025: 7M phone‑verified USDT wallets
• December 2025: >$153M sent/received through MiniPay

Negative

• XAU₮0 is a bridged token and is not issued by Tether
• Integration concentrated on Celo blockchain and selected local partners

News Market Reaction

+13.53% 2.4x vol

26 alerts

+13.53% News Effect

+13.2% Peak in 3 hr 12 min

+$159M Valuation Impact

$1.33B Market Cap

2.4x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, OPRA gained 13.53%, reflecting a significant positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +13.2% during that session. Our momentum scanner triggered 26 alerts that day, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $159M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $1.33B at that time. Trading volume was elevated at 2.4x the daily average, suggesting notable buying interest.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

USDT market cap: over $186 billion Activated MiniPay wallets: 12.6 million MiniPay transactions: 350 million +5 more

8 metrics

USDT market cap over $186 billion Global USDT capitalization at time of release

Activated MiniPay wallets 12.6 million Total activated wallets on MiniPay

MiniPay transactions 350 million Total transactions processed via MiniPay

On-chain MiniPay users 3.64 million Estimated on-chain users on Celo

Q4 2025 user growth 50% Quarterly growth in on-chain MiniPay users in Q4 2025

Phone-verified USDT wallets 7 million MiniPay phone-verified USDT wallets as of Dec 2025

Celo user growth 506% Celo native USDT user growth over 12 months

MiniPay cash added $49 million Cash added to MiniPay via local partners

Market Reality Check

Price: $13.19 Vol: Volume 1,110,184 is 1.55x...

high vol

$13.19 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,110,184 is 1.55x its 20-day average of 715,066, indicating elevated trading activity ahead of this crypto-focused announcement. high

Technical Shares at $12.42 are trading below the 200-day MA of $16.38 and sit about 44.8% under the 52-week high of $22.50, near the 52-week low of $12.41.

Peers on Argus

OPRA is down 7.86% with elevated volume, while key peers like WBTN (-2.89%), BMB...

OPRA is down 7.86% with elevated volume, while key peers like WBTN (-2.89%), BMBL (-3.18%), and TBLA (-2.44%) also trade lower. Despite several names in the Internet Content & Information group declining, the momentum scanner did not flag a coordinated sector move, suggesting OPRA’s reaction reflects more company-specific positioning against a weak backdrop.

Previous Crypto Reports

3 past events · Latest: Nov 19 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 3 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 19	MiniPay LATAM rails	Positive	-1.7%	MiniPay linked USDT balances to PIX and Mercado Pago for local payouts.
Sep 16	MiniPay 10M milestone	Positive	-1.9%	MiniPay hit 10M wallets and 271M transactions with strong global growth metrics.
Jul 17	MiniPay scale update	Positive	-1.9%	MiniPay surpassed 8M wallets and 200M transactions with expanding app ecosystem.

Pattern Detected

Crypto-focused MiniPay announcements have historically coincided with modest negative next-day moves despite highlighting strong growth in wallets, transactions, and usage.

Recent Company History

Over recent crypto-tag updates, Opera has repeatedly showcased MiniPay’s rapid expansion. On Jul 17, 2025, it reported 8 million phone-verified wallets and over 200 million transactions, with the stock down modestly. On Sep 16, 2025 and Nov 19, 2025, further milestones such as 10 million wallets and new real-time payment integrations again saw small negative reactions. Today’s news extends that MiniPay growth narrative with deeper USDT and gold exposure in emerging markets.

Historical Comparison

crypto

+1.8 %

Average Historical Move

Historical Analysis

In the past year, OPRA issued 3 MiniPay/crypto updates, with an average move of about 1.81%. Today’s -7.86% reaction is notably weaker than prior crypto-related responses.

Typical Pattern

Across crypto-tag events, MiniPay has progressed from millions of wallets and hundreds of millions of transactions toward broader real-time payment rails and, now, tighter integration with USDT and tokenized gold for emerging-market users.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock surged +13.5% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction would have co...

Analysis

The stock surged +13.5% in the session following this news. A strong positive reaction would have contrasted with prior crypto-tag updates, which showed small negative moves despite solid MiniPay growth. This announcement highlighted larger wallet counts, higher transaction volumes, and new USDT and gold options in emerging markets. Investors might also weigh Opera’s recent 6-K indicating Q4 2025 revenue above $170 million and full-year revenue over $608 million when assessing durability.

Key Terms

stablecoin, self-custodial wallet, celo blockchain, on-chain, +3 more

7 terms

stablecoin financial

"Tether, the world's leading stablecoin issuer, announced the expansion..."

A stablecoin is a type of digital currency designed to keep its value steady, often by being backed by traditional assets like money or commodities. For investors, stablecoins offer a reliable way to move money quickly across digital platforms without the value fluctuations common with other cryptocurrencies, making them useful for saving, trading, or transferring funds with less risk of sudden losses.

self-custodial wallet technical

"Opera's self-custodial wallet built on the Celo blockchain."

A self-custodial wallet is a digital account where the individual investor alone holds the secret codes that prove ownership of their cryptocurrencies or digital assets, rather than a bank or exchange holding them. It matters because it gives full control and faster access—like keeping a safe at home instead of a bank vault—but also places sole responsibility for security and recovery on the investor, affecting risk, liquidity and regulatory exposure.

celo blockchain technical

"self-custodial wallet built on the Celo blockchain."

Celo blockchain is a digital ledger and software platform designed for mobile-friendly payments and financial apps, using a shared, tamper-resistant record stored across many computers. Think of it as a shared spreadsheet on millions of phones that lets people send money, create digital tokens, and run small apps without a bank. Investors watch Celo for user growth, token economics, transaction activity and governance decisions, all of which affect the network’s value and revenue potential.

on-chain technical

"3.64 million estimated on-chain users on Celo."

On-chain describes actions or data that are recorded directly on a blockchain, a public digital ledger that creates a permanent, time-stamped record of transactions. For investors, on-chain activity provides verifiable evidence of transfers, ownership changes or automated program actions (like contract-driven payments); seeing these entries is like checking a bank statement and helps assess liquidity, settlement finality, fees, and transparency when judging risk and market behavior.

peer-to-peer payments technical

"over 3.5 million peer-to-peer payments that month."

Digital transfers of money sent directly between individuals or businesses using apps or online platforms, without a traditional bank acting as the middleman. Investors care because these services can change how consumers spend and move cash, create new revenue streams or fees for platform providers, and shift market share away from traditional banks much like a fast, low-cost courier replacing slower mail delivery.

liquidity network financial

"connecting local economies directly to Tether's global liquidity network."

A liquidity network is the web of buyers, sellers, market makers and trading venues that together make it easy to convert an asset into cash without big price swings. Think of it as the roads and traffic lights of a marketplace: when the network is broad and flowing, trades are fast and cheap; when it’s thin or clogged, buying or selling can become slow, costly and move prices sharply. Investors care because a strong liquidity network reduces trading costs, lowers the risk of being unable to exit a position, and helps keep quoted prices realistic.

tokenized real-world assets financial

"Tether Gold remains one of the most established tokenized real-world assets..."

Tokenized real-world assets are physical or financial items — such as real estate, bonds, art, or commodities — represented by digital tokens on a secure online ledger, enabling ownership to be divided into small, tradable pieces. For investors this can mean easier buying and selling, lower minimum investments and faster settlement, but it also introduces technology, market and legal risks, so it's like turning a house into many tradeable shares with new rules and costs to consider.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

OSLO, Norway, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tether, the world's leading stablecoin issuer, announced the expansion of USDT and Tether Gold (via XAU₮0*) support within MiniPay, Opera's (NASDAQ: OPRA) self-custodial wallet built on the Celo blockchain. The initiative is helping millions of users across emerging markets gain stable, dollar-denominated access to value and savings, reinforcing Tether's role in advancing global financial inclusion.

USDT, with a market capitalization of over $186 billion, remains the most widely used and trusted digital dollar globally. Its integration into MiniPay enables users to send, receive, and hold USDT with a tap, without navigating the complexities of the blockchain.

Opera's MiniPay wallet has become one of the largest self-custodial stablecoin wallets globally, with over 12.6 million activated wallets, 350 million transactions, and 3.64 million estimated on-chain users on Celo. In Q4 2025 alone, MiniPay saw 50% growth in on-chain users, highlighting accelerating USDT adoption across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

As of December, 2025, MiniPay has 7 million phone-verified USDT wallets, seeing 300,000 unique buyers of USDT in December, up 33% month over month, Celo became the fastest-growing native USDT chain, with user growth of 506% in the last 12 months, from 825 thousand to 5 million users. MiniPay users initiated more than 96 million USDT in stablecoin transfers in December 2025 and over 3.5 million peer-to-peer payments that month.

Users have also added more than $49 million USD in cash to their MiniPay wallets through local partners including Fonbank, Partna, Daimo, Cashramp, Binance, and Bybit, connecting local economies directly to Tether's global liquidity network. Across all integrations, more than 153 million USD was sent or received through MiniPay in December, underscoring growing demand for stable, dollar-based payments in mobile-first regions.

"Tether's mission has always been to provide simple, reliable access to stable value for people who need it most," said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether. "By supporting USDT and XAU₮0 in MiniPay, we're helping create tools that make digital assets genuinely useful, whether for sending money, saving in dollars, or protecting value in gold. Financial inclusion is not just about technology; it's about building systems that work for everyday life."

"Integrating USDT directly into MiniPay turns smartphone reach into real financial access," said Jørgen Arnesen, EVP Mobile at Opera. "Millions of users are now holding, sending, and saving in digital dollars seamlessly, often for the first time. MiniPay brings stable, on-chain money to the people who need it most."

In addition to USDT, MiniPay supports Tether Gold, a token representing ownership of physical gold, through its support for XAU₮0. With gold prices rising nearly 50% in 2025, XAU₮0 offers households an accessible and inflation-resistant savings option. Users can convert part of their balance into XAU₮0 with a single tap, maintaining liquidity while preserving value.

Tether Gold remains one of the most established tokenized real-world assets, providing a transparent, on-chain bridge between traditional value stores and the emerging digital economy.

Tether's ongoing commitment to transparency, liquidity, and accessibility continues to expand the real-world use of stablecoins. Together with Opera, Tether is building practical financial tools that help people move, save, and store value securely, bringing the benefits of stable digital money to millions beyond the traditional banking system.

*XAU₮0 is a bridged version of Tether Gold (XAU₮). XAU₮0 is not issued by Tether.

About MiniPay

MiniPay is a non-custodial stablecoin wallet built on the Celo blockchain and designed to make digital finance accessible, affordable, and user-friendly – especially across emerging markets. MiniPay is offered by Blueboard Limited, an Opera company. Opera is publicly listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker symbol OPRA. Learn more at investor.opera.com.

Important Note

This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy USDT or XAU₮. Tether International, S.A. de C.V. will only sell or redeem USDT pursuant to its terms of service available (as of the date of this press release) at tether.to/en/legal. TG Commodities, S.A. de C.V. will only sell or redeem XAU₮ pursuant to its terms of sale and service available (as of the date of this press release) at gold.tether.to/legal.

Disclaimer

As a non-custodial stablecoin wallet, MiniPay exclusively enables individual users to initiate on-chain P2P stablecoin transfers. Through integrations with our third-party partners, however, the MiniPay ecosystem also enables users to discover a rich array of additional services provided by such third parties including on-ramp/off-ramp, top-up, or payment services. MiniPay itself does not facilitate or provide any form of exchange services, payment services, or remittances. Any and all references to such functionality indicates the availability of third-party services discoverable within the MiniPay ecosystem. XAU₮0 is available in Mini Apps via a third party.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tether-and-opera-expand-financial-access-in-emerging-markets-through-minipay-302676441.html

SOURCE Opera Limited

FAQ

What did Tether and Opera announce about USDT support in MiniPay on February 2, 2026?

They announced USDT and Tether Gold (XAU₮0) support in MiniPay, enabling on‑chain holding and transfers. According to the companies, this integration adds stable, dollar‑denominated access for millions across emerging markets via MiniPay on Celo.

How many MiniPay wallets and transactions did Opera report after the Tether integration (OPRA)?

Opera reported 12.6 million activated wallets and 350 million transactions. According to Opera, MiniPay has become one of the largest self‑custodial stablecoin wallets globally, with rapid on‑chain user growth on Celo.

What were MiniPay's December 2025 usage metrics after the USDT expansion?

In December 2025 MiniPay had 7 million phone‑verified USDT wallets and ~300,000 unique USDT buyers (+33% MoM). According to the companies, users initiated over 96 million USDT transfers that month.

How much cash did MiniPay users add via local partners after the Tether integration?

Users added more than $49 million USD in cash to MiniPay wallets through local partners. According to the announcement, partners include Fonbank, Partna, Daimo, Cashramp, Binance, and Bybit.

What is XAU₮0 and how does it relate to Tether Gold in MiniPay?

XAU₮0 is a bridged version of Tether Gold that enables on‑chain gold exposure in MiniPay. According to the company, XAU₮0 is not issued by Tether but offers a tokenized, liquid way to hold gold value on Celo.