2026-01-06 05:20:55

There's a number that really hits hard.

Tether made $13 billion in 2024. During the same period, OpenAI earned $3.7 billion but lost $5 billion, and Anthropic earned $1 billion but also lost $5 billion. The combined losses of these two real AI companies still don't surpass what they earn in a year.

Even more striking is the comparison of personnel—Tether has only about 150 employees, while OpenAI has over 3,000. Calculating per capita output, the gap is roughly 60 times. This business is not just a little off.

The secret isn't that complicated. You exchange 1 USDT, and Tether receives 1 dollar. Then what? Use that money to buy US government bonds, and all the interest goes to them. The key is, they don't have to pay you a single cent of interest.

To compare with banking logic: banks pay interest to attract deposits, but Tether doesn't. Users exchange fiat currency for USDT and hold it, earning zero interest. But Tether uses that money to buy government bonds, and in 2024 alone, they collected $7 billion in interest.

150 people manage over $130 billion in government bonds, doing nothing but collecting interest daily. This model makes anyone want to lie back and earn passively.

The problem is, with so much money, there must be an outlet. Tether's final choice is—AI.

It's not just about casually investing in a few projects to get by. This time, it's serious.

Starting with computing power. Running large models requires massive computing resources. Tether is beginning to lay out in this area. They’re not afraid to burn money—hardware and infrastructure are all being deployed.

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SlowLearnerWang

· 9h ago

Wow, 150 people earning 13 billion passively, this gap is really incredible... Why am I still working a job?

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GamefiEscapeArtist

· 01-06 20:05

Damn, 150 people lying down and earning 13 billion. I want to do this business too. --- That's why people in the crypto circle all want to work with stablecoins—really just lying down and counting money. --- So what is Tether doing by investing in AI now? Are they afraid of losing money? --- Per capita output is 60 times worse... For those at OpenAI, that must be really painful to see. --- The key is that no one can shake its position—that's absolute. --- Wait, is Tether investing in AI to develop its own model? We need to see about this. --- Banks have to pay interest to attract deposits, but they directly attract deposits with zero interest. That logic is too ruthless.

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SerRugResistant

· 01-06 05:50

Wait, Tether with only 150 people made 13 billion, while OpenAI with 3,000 people is still losing money? The gap is indeed outrageous, it feels like the entire industry is doing everything backwards.

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DecentralizedElder

· 01-06 05:49

Wow, this is real passive income. We're here mining tirelessly, and those 150 people make 13 billion a year? This business model is brilliant. Basically, it's just exploiting opportunities without any initial investment.

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ClassicDumpster

· 01-06 05:45

Wow, Tether's business model is just too clever. They don't have to spend a penny and can still make passive income. OpenAI and Anthropic guys must feel so powerless.

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FreeRider

· 01-06 05:45

150 people earned 13 billion, OpenAI 3,000 people lost 5 billion... The gap is really huge. Who wouldn't want the business of printing money while lying down?

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BearHugger

· 01-06 05:45

A business that makes money while lying down, but OpenAI is burning cash. The gap is truly incredible.

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