Tether has partnered with Opera’s MiniPay wallet to broaden access to USDt and Tether Gold (XAU₮) across emerging markets. In the Feb. 2 announcement, MiniPay users were given the ability to send, receive, and hold USDt, while also converting part of their balance into XAU₮ as a way to address inflation and local currency volatility. Opera shares reacted quickly, rising nearly 18% at one point after the news.
MiniPay adds broader stable-value options
MiniPay is Opera’s self-custodial wallet built on the Celo blockchain. It is aimed at mobile-first regions including Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. According to the announcement, the wallet recorded 50% growth in Q4 2025. It is now available on Android and iOS, live in 60 countries, with 12.6 million activated wallets.
Tether chief executive Paolo Ardoino said the company’s goal has been to give people simple and reliable access to stable value where that need is most acute. He said support for USDt and XAU₮ inside MiniPay is meant to make digital assets useful for money transfers, dollar savings, and gold-based value protection.
Transfer activity on MiniPay has climbed
MiniPay first added USDt in July 2024 through the MiniPay V2 update. That release introduced Pockets, a stablecoin swap feature powered by the Mento protocol, allowing users to switch between cUSD, USDT, and USDC with a drag-and-drop interface.
Demand for USDt has increased since then. Tether said that by December 2025, MiniPay had more than 7 million phone-verified USDt wallets. During that month alone, users processed more than 96 million USDt transfers and completed 3.5 million peer-to-peer payments. Opera EVP Mobile Jørgen Arnesen said millions of users are now holding, sending, and saving in digital dollars, often for the first time.
Opera stock moves higher after the announcement
Opera shares climbed as much as 18% before closing Feb. 2 up a little more than 13.5%. The stock then added another 3.55% in after-hours trading. Over recent years, Opera has expanded beyond its core browser business with a range of Web3 features, including integrated stablecoin wallets, access to decentralized applications, and savings tools. The MiniPay partnership with Tether adds to that broader product push.