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What is Stable?
Key Points
- Stable is a Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for USDT—the first "stablechain" designed to optimize stablecoin transactions.
- Users pay gas fees in USDT directly, with peer-to-peer transfers being gas-free at the protocol level.
- Backed by Tether and Bitfinex with $28 million in seed funding from investors including Franklin Templeton and Hack VC.
- Uses StableBFT consensus for sub-second transaction finality with full EVM compatibility.
- Integrates USDT0 (LayerZero's omnichain USDT) for seamless cross-chain transfers without traditional bridges.
- STABLE token (100B fixed supply) handles governance and staking; all user transactions settle in USDT.
- Mainnet launched December 8, 2025, with enterprise features including guaranteed blockspace and confidential transfers.
Stable is a Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for USDT—described by its creators as the first "stablechain." Backed by Tether and Bitfinex, Stable is designed to address the inefficiencies that stablecoins face on general-purpose blockchains, including high fees, slow settlement times, and complex user experiences.
The project raised $28 million in seed funding co-led by Bitfinex and Hack VC, with participation from Franklin Templeton, Castle Island Ventures, Susquehanna International Group, and others. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has served as a close advisor from the project's inception.
The Problem Stable Solves
USDT is the world's largest stablecoin with over $190 billion in circulation and 350 million users globally. It powers centralized exchanges, DeFi protocols, and international payments. However, existing blockchain infrastructure wasn't optimized for stablecoin-specific needs.
General-purpose blockchains prioritize programmability and composability over low-fee, high-throughput payments. This creates friction for users who need to hold volatile tokens for gas fees, deal with unpredictable transaction costs, and wait for settlements to finalize.
Stable addresses these issues by building infrastructure from the ground up with stablecoins as the primary use case.
Key Features
USDT as Native Gas
Users pay transaction fees directly in USDT, eliminating the need to hold additional volatile tokens. Peer-to-peer USDT transfers are gas-free at the protocol level.
Sub-Second Finality
Transactions confirm within seconds using StableBFT, a delegated proof-of-stake consensus mechanism built on the CometBFT engine (a fork of Tendermint). This provides deterministic finality suitable for both micropayments and large-scale settlements.
Full EVM Compatibility
Developers can deploy existing Ethereum applications and build new dApps using familiar tools, SDKs, and APIs tailored for stablecoin use cases.
Enterprise Features
Stable includes institutional-grade capabilities:
- Guaranteed blockspace allocation for consistent transaction processing
- USDT transfer aggregators for batch processing
- Confidential transfers using zero-knowledge proofs (amounts hidden, addresses visible for compliance)
- High throughput with parallel execution capabilities
Technical Architecture
Stable is a single-layer blockchain optimized for USDT transactions, using StableBFT consensus for sub-second finality. It scales through parallel execution and will upgrade to a DAG-based consensus system, avoiding the complexity of multi-layer architecture.
StableBFT decouples transaction gossiping from consensus gossiping—raw transactions are broadcast publicly while consensus validators communicate through a separate system. This improves throughput and security.
Future upgrades include StableVM++ (an optimized C++ execution environment), StableDB (faster blockchain data storage), and a DAG-based consensus mechanism for improved speed and resilience.
USDT0 Integration
Stable integrates with USDT0, Tether's omnichain token built on LayerZero's OFT (Omnichain Fungible Token) standard. This enables seamless cross-chain USDT transfers without traditional bridges.
How USDT0 works:
- USDT is locked in a smart contract on Ethereum
- An equivalent amount of USDT0 is minted on the destination chain
- Cross-chain transfers happen through LayerZero's messaging protocol
- 1:1 peg is maintained with locked USDT on Ethereum
On Stable, USDT0 serves as the native gas currency, allowing users to transact without holding separate gas tokens. The Legacy Mesh also connects existing USDT deployments on Ethereum, Tron, and TON with USDT0-supported networks.
Tokenomics
Stable has two tokens with distinct roles:
USDT
Used exclusively for gas fees and transactions. Users interact with the network entirely in USDT without needing any other token.
STABLE Token
The governance and security token with a fixed supply of 100 billion (no inflation). It's used for:
- Validator staking to secure the network
- Delegation to chosen validators
- Governance voting on protocol upgrades and treasury allocation
- Slashing for validator negligence or malicious activity
A key innovation: stakers and delegators earn USDT-based rewards rather than inflationary token emissions. User fees flow into a protocol-controlled vault, with validators receiving shares based on their delegated stake.
Roadmap
Stable's mainnet launched on December 8, 2025. The development roadmap includes three phases:
Phase 1 (Current)
- USDT as native gas token
- StableBFT consensus for sub-second finality
- Stable Wallet launch
Phase 2
- Optimistic parallel execution for higher throughput
- USDT transfer aggregators
- Guaranteed blockspace for enterprises
Phase 3
- DAG-based consensus upgrade
- Expanded developer tools and dApp resources
Competitive Landscape
Stable enters a growing stablecoin-focused blockchain market. Plasma (also Bitfinex-backed) operates a Bitcoin sidechain optimized for USDT with zero-fee transfers. Circle's upcoming Tempo blockchain will support multiple stablecoins with stablecoin-agnostic gas. Noble focuses on native stablecoin issuance across Cosmos chains.
Stable differentiates itself as a complete Layer 1 optimized end-to-end for USDT, with the backing of Tether's ecosystem and infrastructure designed specifically for the world's largest stablecoin.
Conclusion
Stable represents Tether's strategic move to own its infrastructure stack. By creating a purpose-built blockchain for USDT, the project aims to capture value that currently flows to general-purpose chains while providing users with faster, cheaper, and more predictable stablecoin transactions.
For users, Stable promises a simplified experience where sending USDT works like sending a text message—instant, low-cost, and denominated entirely in dollars. For institutions, it offers enterprise-grade features with the reliability of dedicated infrastructure.
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