Circle’s IPO triggers a Tether value estimate, which would bring the co-founder’s wealth to approximately $242 billion.
The listing of Circle on the NYSE represented for the first time a public valuation metric for the entire dollar-pegged stablecoin sector. Applying the financial multiples that emerged from Circle’s IPO to Tether’s balance sheets, one can hypothesize a potential valuation of $515 billion for the USDT issuing company. A figure that, if confirmed by a future listing or acquisition, would transform Giancarlo Devasini, co-founder and Chairman of Tether with 47% of the shares according to Forbes, into one of the richest men on the planet.
The numbers
Circle completed its NYSE listing on June 5 through a SPAC, with a valuation of approximately $8 billion. With declared net profits of approximately $250 million in 2023, the price-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at around 36.
Tether recorded estimated profits of $12 billion in 2024. Applying the same multiple as Circle, the theoretical valuation reaches $480 billion. To this base figure, some analysts have observed the absence of assets held by Tether: $120 billion in US Treasuries, over $10 billion in bitcoin, physical gold reserves and stakes in private technology companies.
Analyst Jon Ma, CEO of Artemis, calculated a comprehensive valuation of $515 billion. Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, commented on the estimate on X calling it “a beautiful number” and “maybe a bit bearish considering our current (and increasing) Bitcoin + Gold treasury”.
A $242 billion fortune
With 47% of Tether Holdings Ltd. shares, Devasini would see his theoretical net worth reach $242.05 billion. A figure that would place him in second place in the Forbes ranking of world billionaires, surpassing Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos ($215 billion), Larry Ellison ($192 billion) and Bernard Arnault ($178 billion).
Only Elon Musk, with $342 billion, would maintain first position. However, the $515 billion valuation for Tether remains theoretical and depends on a future listing or acquisition.
