- The GENIUS Act gives Tether until July 18, 2028, to comply with U.S. stablecoin regulations.
- USDT must meet reserve, registration, AML, and sanctions requirements to remain eligible on U.S. exchanges.
- Regulators are still drafting implementation rules, leaving key compliance details unresolved.
Tether faces a key regulatory deadline after the GENIUS Act gave foreign stablecoin issuers until July 18, 2028, to satisfy U.S. requirements for continued exchange access. According to industry experts and regulatory guidance, USDT could become ineligible for listing on U.S. centralized trading platforms if Tether does not complete the required compliance process before the transition period expires.
Compliance Rules Take Shape
The GENIUS Act became law on July 18, 2025, and created a three-year transition period for stablecoin issuers. However, federal agencies have not finalized the implementing rules, leaving several compliance details unresolved.
According to attorney Justin Levine of Davis Polk, foreign issuers must comply with lawful U.S. freeze and seizure orders once the law becomes effective. However, they have roughly two additional years to satisfy broader requirements, including registration with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
Meanwhile, some legal interpretations previously questioned whether foreign issuers received the same transition period. However, more recent readings point to the July 2028 deadline for continued U.S. exchange eligibility.
Reserve And Registration Requirements
The law requires payment stablecoins to maintain reserves in approved liquid assets, including cash and short-term U.S. Treasuries. Issuers must also publish monthly reserve disclosures and follow anti-money-laundering and sanctions requirements.
Tether’s latest reserve reports indicate that part of USDT’s backing remains in assets that may not satisfy the GENIUS Act standards. According to previous statements, Chief Executive Paolo Ardoino said Tether intends to make USDT compliant with the foreign issuer framework.
Earlier this year, Tether also launched USAT through Anchorage Digital as a separate product designed for the regulated U.S. market.
Regulators Continue Drafting Rules
Although the statutory deadline continues approaching, regulators have yet to publish final implementation rules. Consequently, companies still lack complete regulatory guidance.
Kevin Wysocki of Anchorage Digital said institutions are expected to migrate toward compliant stablecoins before the 2028 deadline. Meanwhile, consulting executive Trevor Tanifum said some exchanges could wait for clearer regulatory direction before changing listing policies.
Separately, the crypto industry continues monitoring the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, which lawmakers are still considering alongside the GENIUS Act framework.
