When U.S. forces intervened in Venezuela, many locals didn’t wait. They moved quickly to convert bolívares into Tether (USDT), a dollar-pegged stablecoin. It was a reaction to the immediate threat, but it’s also part of a longer trend. For years, people in countries with unstable currencies have turned to digital dollars as a hedge.
Mauricio Di Bartolomeo, co-founder of Ledn, puts it bluntly: “Stablecoins are better dollars. People don’t use them because it’s trendy. They use them to survive.”
How USDT Helped People Move Fast
USDT is designed to stay close to $1, but during the Venezuelan panic, prices on peer-to-peer platforms jumped to roughly $1.40. The spike was not caused by traders trying to make a quick buck. It was fear. Haonan Li, CEO of Codex, said people were simply trying to get out of bolívares as fast as possible.
For many Venezuelans, USDT offered a way to store money safely, pay bills, and send remittances without touching the local banking system. It became an emergency tool.
Risks and Side Effects
This kind of rush is not without consequences. When large amounts of local currency flow out, it can weaken the bolívar further. Austin Campbell, CEO of Zero Knowledge Consulting, pointed out that heavy stablecoin demand can accelerate local currency depreciation. But he also noted that the effect is not necessarily bad from the citizen’s perspective. “It puts pressure on the government,” he said. “For people trying to protect their money, that can actually be a good thing.”
What Investors Can Learn
Stablecoins are increasingly used for practical reasons, not speculation. They are financial survival tools in countries with unstable economies or authoritarian regimes. That makes them more than just a digital asset. They are becoming a global hedge.
Campbell’s final takeaway is simple: “If your government could take your money, USDT is still the better option.” For investors watching crypto adoption, these are the kinds of real-world use cases that matter.
