Buy Tether (USDT)

Can you still buy Tether in Europe?

For customers in the European Economic Area, USDT is no longer normally available for purchase or trading at major regulated exchanges. ESMA expected providers to stop trading in non-compliant stablecoins by the end of the first quarter of 2025. Exchanges therefore delisted USDT or restricted the services attached to it.

This does not mean the token has technically ceased to exist or that holding it is prohibited. Some services may still allow existing USDT to be held or sent to a self-custody wallet. The exact position differs by platform and country, so we do not show a standard top-three buying comparison on this page.

Why is USDT not MiCA compliant?

A stablecoin does not itself receive a “MiCA licence”. To offer a dollar stablecoin as an e-money token in the EU, the issuer must have the appropriate European authorisation, publish compliant documentation and provide holders with enforceable redemption rights, among other requirements.

Tether has not issued USDT through such a MiCA-compliant European structure. A MiCA-authorised exchange therefore cannot offer it in the same way as a compliant stablecoin. The restrictions are regulatory rather than a technical fault in the token.

What is Tether?

Tether launched in 2014 and is designed to remain close to one US dollar. USDT exists on several blockchains, including Ethereum and Tron. Traders use it as a digital dollar, a quote asset for crypto markets and a way to move value between platforms without a traditional bank transfer.

Code does not fix the price at exactly one dollar. The peg relies on reserves, market liquidity and confidence that eligible customers can redeem tokens with the issuer. USDT can therefore trade temporarily above or below a dollar.

What are the alternatives?

For European users, USDC is the main dollar alternative. Circle issues USDC in the EEA as a MiCA-compliant e-money token. A regulated euro stablecoin such as EURC may be more suitable if you do not want exposure to the dollar-euro exchange rate.

Always check the network before sending a stablecoin. USDT on Ethereum and USDT on Tron are not interchangeable at an address level. A transfer through an unsupported network can be irreversible.

USDT risks

• Issuer risk: you rely on Tether and the quality and accessibility of its reserves
• De-pegging risk: USDT can move away from one dollar
• Regulatory risk: services available in Europe can change further
• Network risk: choosing the wrong chain or address can cause a loss
• Counterparty risk: keeping tokens at an exchange makes you dependent on it

The USDT price is normally stable against the dollar, but its value in euros also moves with the EUR/USD exchange rate. Always do your own research.