Will USDT be banned in the US?

The Act doesn't ban holding it. From 18 July 2028, US digital asset service providers may not offer or sell a payment stablecoin unless its issuer is permitted under the Act or qualifies as a foreign issuer. Treasury's proposed rules add safe harbors, for example where a platform reasonably believes its customer is outside the US. Whether Tether qualifies isn't decided: when Treasury published those proposals in August 2026, it hadn't yet proposed how it will judge foreign regimes. Tether launched a separate US stablecoin, USAT, in January 2026.

From The GENIUS Act: what non-US businesses need to know, by . Updated .

The wider picture

The key points from the guide this answer comes from:

  1. The GENIUS Act regulates stablecoin issuers and the platforms that sell stablecoins in the US. Holding or receiving them for your own business doesn't by itself bring you under it.
  2. It takes effect on 18 January 2027. From 18 July 2028, US platforms may only offer stablecoins from permitted or qualifying foreign issuers.
  3. The OCC issued the first final rule under the Act on 21 October 2026. The FDIC, Federal Reserve and Treasury rules are still outstanding.
  4. Issuers can't pay interest or yield on stablecoins. Whether exchanges and other third parties can pay rewards is still open.

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The full guide

The GENIUS Act regulates stablecoin issuers and the platforms that sell stablecoins to people in the US. Holding or receiving them for your own business doesn't by itself bring you under it. The dates that matter are 18 January 2027, when it takes effect, and 18 July 2028, when US platforms must stop offering stablecoins from issuers that haven't qualified.

Read The GENIUS Act: what non-US businesses need to know, with its sources.

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and providers' terms change; check the sources in the guide and take advice on your own situation.

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