- Tether launched version 1.4 of its wallet with Lightning Network support, including BOLT11 invoices and LNURL functionality.
- The update allows sending and receiving Bitcoin over Lightning with improved fee estimation, within a self-custodial framework based on the WDK.
- The integration anticipates the migration of $USDT to Lightning through the Taproot Assets protocol, announced in January 2025 alongside Lightning Labs.
Tether expanded the capabilities of its mobile wallet with the launch of version 1.4, which incorporates native support for the Lightning Network. The update includes compatibility with BOLT11 invoices and LNURL functionality, two standards that enable sending and receiving Bitcoin at the speed and cost that the base layer of the network simply cannot offer.
BOLT11 is the standard format for payment invoices on Lightning. It specifies the exact amount to send and the corresponding routing path. LNURL adds a usability layer on top of that scheme: it allows creating reusable payment links and simplified authentication mechanisms. With this version, users can generate payment requests with precise amounts, scan or share Lightning invoices, and benefit from improved fee estimation — a detail that directly impacts payment success rates and avoids overspending on routing.
Tether Wallet 1.4 is live.
⚡ Lightning payments: send & receive Bitcoin via Lightning Network, BOLT11 invoices and LNURL
📊 Better transaction history: clearer fees, more accurate estimates before you send
Plus bug fixes and performance improvements throughout.Update now and… pic.twitter.com/TcEeIhMp09
— tether wallet (@tetherwallet) June 18, 2026
The wallet maintains a self-custodial scheme: Tether has no access to users’ private keys. The application was built on the company’s open-source Wallet Development Kit, known as WDK, and supports Bitcoin on both the base layer and Lightning, as well as $USDT, $USAT, and XAUT, the company’s gold-backed token.
Tether’s Bitcoin Strategy Takes Shape
It all began on January 30, 2025. At that time, Tether announced a partnership with Lightning Labs to bring $USDT directly to Bitcoin and to the Lightning Network through the Taproot Assets protocol, which allows issuing and transferring tokens other than Bitcoin on the base layer and routing them through Lightning. The Tether Wallet was originally launched in mid-April 2026, and this version marks the moment when the Lightning integration effectively reaches end users.
When the company enables $USDT transfers over Lightning, as established in the January 2025 roadmap, the product’s reach will expand considerably. Sending dollar-pegged stablecoins over Lightning rails with near-zero costs and near-instant settlement would position the company as a direct competitor to remittance services and cross-border payment providers, segments where the company already holds a presence in emerging markets.
The Lightning wallet ecosystem includes alternatives such as Phoenix, Breez, and Zeus, geared toward native Lightning users, and Strike, whose business model revolves around payments through that channel. The difference Tether brings is the bridge to stablecoins: the ability to unify Bitcoin, $USDT, $USAT, and XAUT within a single self-custodial application.
