USDT, the stablecoin issued by Tether, has develop into a buying and selling lifeline for a lot of in international locations with restricted entry to the US greenback. However for Raymond Horta Martínez, director of the Venezuelan Institute of Know-how and Regulation, this mass adoption lacks the authorized security web wanted to guard the general public.
Though Venezuela already has a authorized framework comparable to a complete crypto asset system and the BA VEN-NIF 12 accounting commonplace that requires corporations to register these property, Horta argues that the non-public nature of Tether poses dangers that can’t be totally coated by present rules.
Not like the decentralized nature of Bitcoin (BTC), USDT relies upon solely on non-public directives. And in an unique interview with CriptoNoticias, Horta warns that this distinction is a big monetary threat. “If the issuing firm faces chapter or worldwide regulatory intervention, Venezuelan customers may get up with their financial savings blocked,” the authorized scholar explains.
Tether maintains reserves, verified by worldwide accounting agency BDO, amounting to over $192.8 billion ($6.3 billion extra or cushion over debt) as of December 31, 2025, primarily in U.S. Treasuries.
The corporate explicitly prohibits the Venezuelan authorities as a direct person in its Phrases of Service and U.S. OFAC Sanctions Compliance Coverage. The ban doesn’t apply to civilians, however Tether has frozen wallets associated to sanctions evasion previously.
Some folks utilizing USDT in Venezuela level out that the stablecoin facilitates quick and low-cost transactions. This has made it the nation’s principal instrument for on a regular basis funds, imports and worth preservation, with annual inflation reaching 549% in 2025, in accordance with estimates by the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF). Throughout the identical interval, Chainalysis reported that the nation recorded $44.6 billion in cryptocurrency transaction worth in a single yr.
Sunacrip renews license to change, however it’s not sufficient
The Nationwide Crypto Property Supervision Authority (Sunacrip) maintains regulatory momentum by renewing licenses to native exchanges till 2026. The continuation of this regulation occurred even if Sunacrip underwent vital intervention in March 2023 after the outbreak of the PDVSA-Cripto scandal. The scandal concerned the misappropriation of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in oil funds by way of crypto property and resulted in mass arrests, suspension of operations, and full buying and selling. Organizational reorganization.
Orta emphasizes that licensing a platform to function is just not the identical as regulating the property that flow into on the platform. “Licensing an change doesn’t make USDT authorized tender,” he factors out. For specialists, Nations want to maneuver to plans for traceability and administration of the origin of funds It prevents the legitimation of capital with out choking the liberty of use that has allowed abnormal residents to outlive excessive inflation.
Venezuelans had no selection however to undertake an asset that got here in time to cowl these wants: USDT. Nonetheless, we should not neglect that there are additionally issues with corruption and cash laundering, which is why regulation is required. That may’t be true. I say this as a result of I’ve seen circumstances in courtroom the place an organization claims to have 500,000 USDT. And one wonders, oh, however the place did you get that from? What are the sources of these funds? When speaking about crypto property, corporations have to have in mind that though they will legally function between corporations, they will additionally function between organized crime, the place cash laundering can also be of their palms.
Raymond Orta.
The professional elaborates that the change of USDT for bolivars or commodities is just not a proper change operation, however relatively an change of property (much like exchanging one commodity for an additional). In accordance with present authorized ideas, there isn’t any rapid tax on holding or exchanging, however it warns that the earnings obtained (sale) could also be taxed. Recommends accounting, tax and traceability requirements for transactions between Venezuelanscorporations or people, together with the auditing and management of the origin of funds to forestall cash laundering.
A steadiness is required between freedom of use and prevention of abuse
Venezuela stays among the many highest in crypto adoption within the area as a result of its casual dollarization, which has discovered essentially the most environment friendly infrastructure in stablecoins. Studies from CriptoNoticias and native analysts point out that USDT Advisable instrument for import and retailer of worth Oppose worldwide banking regulation.
This isn’t to demonize USDT as a crypto asset, however there must be regulation at each the change degree and accounting degree, and there must be a narrative for folks to know why they personal and use it. Cash laundering mechanisms, much like money, should exist to reduce the chance that crypto property are used for crime.
Raymond Orta.
“There have to be several types of rules to permit it as a way of fee or to truly legalize it,” Orta stated. It considers USDT’s traceability, sure accounting and tax guidelines, and proposes to distinguish it from Bitcoin (which is handled as a commodity in some international locations). Warning of dangers when corporations problem forex with out managementemphasizes the steadiness between freedom of use and prevention of fraudulent actions comparable to laundering and circumvention.
To make sure market freedom and handle cryptocurrencies from changing into tax havens for criminals, we have to develop efficient plans primarily based on our realities. There must be a steadiness between the liberty that was initially proposed for cryptocurrencies and the controls that forestall cryptocurrencies from growing into varied varieties of crimes. Subsequently, a steadiness must be sought by way of controls that permit people to reap the advantages of crypto property in each funding and asset safety with out strangling them.
Raymond Orta.
In the meantime, Venezuela maintains the best cryptocurrency adoption price in Latin America. Pushed by casual dollarization Restrictions on entry to conventional currencies.
