SoftBank and Ark Investments Ambitious Bid: Investing $20 Billion in Tethers Funding Round SoftBank and Ark Investment Seek to Invest $20 Billion in Tethers Major Funding Round

Japanese holding SoftBank and Ark Investment, led by Cathie Wood, are in preliminary discussions regarding participation in Tether’s significant funding round, as reported by Bloomberg.

Previously, the agency disclosed that the issuer of the stablecoin USDT is seeking to raise between $15 billion and $20 billion in exchange for a 3% stake through a private placement. Tether’s valuation could reach $500 billion, positioning the company among the world’s most valuable private entities alongside OpenAI and SpaceX.

Investment consultancy Cantor Fitzgerald, which was formerly run by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, is advising Tether on this matter. The firm also manages Tether’s assets.

SoftBank, which operates in telecommunications, finance, and marketing, is recognized for its bold bets on technology. The corporation invests in the development of data centers, autonomous vehicles, and semiconductors, and plans to invest $30 billion in OpenAI, collaborating on the Stargate project.

Led by Cathie Wood, Ark Investment holds a stake in Tether’s main competitor, Circle. The company behind USDC listed shares on the New York Stock Exchange in June, raising $1.1 billion with a valuation of $6.9 billion.

As of the writing of this text, Circle’s market capitalization stands at $31.8 billion, while the market supply of USDC reaches $73.7 billion. In comparison, the market cap of the dominant USDT exceeds $174 billion.

In September, Tether introduced a fully regulated U.S. stablecoin called USAT.

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken is in talks to secure funding that would elevate the company’s valuation to $20 billion, according to Bloomberg’s sources.

According to Fortune, in preparation for its anticipated IPO, Kraken completed a $500 million funding round, raising its platform’s valuation to $15 billion.

Sources told Bloomberg that the terms for securing new financing are not yet finalized, with expected investments from the strategic investor ranging between $200 million and $300 million.

The exchange has also selected Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to facilitate its upcoming public offering.

Additionally, we note that in September, the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, founded by the Winklevoss twins, went public on Nasdaq, raising $425 million during its IPO.