Tether Shuts Down aUSDT, Redirects Focus to XAUT Gold Token

On June 18, 2026, Tether announced the immediate shutdown of its Alloy platform and aUSDT gold-collateralized stablecoin following an internal review that revealed weak user activity and limited demand. Existing holders now have until September 17, 2026 to redeem their tokens and recover XAUT collateral. Launched in June 2024, aUSDT never gained traction, peaking at just $1.27 million in market cap against roughly $2.2 million in gold backing, while USDT circulation exceeds $186 billion. The move is viewed as neutral to mildly bullish for XAUT as Tether consolidates resources behind its established gold product.