Tether has co-led a $7.5 million funding round for Utexo alongside Big Brain Holdings, Portal Ventures, and Franklin Templeton, according to the official announcement. Utexo is developing infrastructure designed to enable USDT settlement directly on the Bitcoin network while facilitating payments through the Lightning Network. The investment expands institutional backing for Bitcoin-based financial infrastructure and builds on earlier initiatives aimed at enabling stablecoin transactions and broader digital finance capabilities on Bitcoin.