Tether and municipal leaders in Lugano have officially launched Plan ₿ Phase II, marking the next chapter in their public-private partnership aimed at embedding cryptocurrency into local infrastructure and commerce. The announcement was made on March 3, 2026, following what officials described as a successful four-year pilot program.
The initial phase enabled residents and businesses to use BTC, USDT, and LVGA for everyday payments, taxes, and public services. City authorities reported steady adoption across retail and municipal channels, positioning Lugano as one of Europe’s most visible experiments in real-world crypto integration.
$6.4 Million Commitment Through 2030
Under Phase II, the partners will allocate up to $6.4 million (CHF 5 million) through 2030 to expand infrastructure, strengthen applied research, and develop specialized technical training programs. The initiative will also prioritize the advancement of sovereign digital identity systems designed to enhance security, privacy, and interoperability within digital public services.
A central pillar of the strategy is the continued expansion of PoW.space, Lugano’s innovation hub, which has already attracted more than 100 fintech companies to the region. Officials say the goal is to reinforce the city’s position as a European center for blockchain entrepreneurship while supporting local talent development.
Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said Phase II shifts the focus toward long-term resilience and capacity building. According to Ardoino, the new stage is designed to deepen infrastructure foundations while ensuring that technological growth translates into sustainable local economic development.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Tether's BrainWhisperer brain signal decoding accuracy reaches 98.3%, ranking fourth in the Kaggle competition.
The BrainWhisperer project under Tether achieved an accuracy of 98.3% in converting brain signals to text, ranking fourth in the Brain-to-Text '25 competition. The system combines the OpenAI Whisper model and LoRA technology and is currently developing cross-individual signal decoding and non-invasive brain-computer interfaces.
GateNews2h ago
Tether accelerates investment: Where is the $6 billion in annual profits flowing?
Tether, with an estimated annual revenue of nearly $6 billion, is evolving from being the largest stablecoin issuer to a major investor in crypto and fintech. The company is actively reinvesting in blockchain infrastructure, payments, and alternative assets, exemplified by 10 recent investments aimed at building the digital economy's infrastructure.
TapChiBitcoin6h ago
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino Highlights USDT’s Broad Global User Base
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino highlighted USDT's strength in having a low sender concentration, with the largest sender accounting for under 5% of volume, which contrasts with other stablecoins at 23%. USDT serves over 550 million users, promoting financial access in emerging markets.
CryptoFrontNews14h ago
USDT Manipulation Case Upgraded! Tether and Bitfinex Collective Lawsuit Approved by New York Court
The U.S. court partially approved the class-action lawsuit against Tether and Bitfinex, narrowing the scope of plaintiffs to include investors who purchased crypto commodity futures between 2017 and 2019. The core allegations of the case involve the manipulation of the market through USDT that was not fully backed by reserves, resulting in investor losses. This class-action lawsuit is still ongoing and will strengthen the plaintiffs' bargaining position.
MarketWhisper03-09 06:16
Tether CEO Frames USDT As a “Digital Dollar for the People” After New Concentration Data
Paolo Ardoino, the CEO of Tether, went on X today with a short, proud message: USDT, he wrote, “is unique.” He backed that claim with a single, sharp statistic: over the past year, the biggest sender of USDT accounted for less than 5% of all USD send volume, while for other stablecoins, one
BlockChainReporter03-09 06:04
Tether USDT Powers 550M Users Across Emerging Markets, Says CEO
Tether's USDT leads the stablecoin market with over 550 million users and widespread transaction distribution. Strategic partnerships and increased liquidity drive global adoption, but regulatory challenges in South Korea hinder local access.
CryptoFrontNews03-08 23:41
