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On December 8, 2025, Stable officially turned on its mainnet, StableChain, which is a Layer 1 blockchain made just for handling a lot of stablecoin transactions. This was a big step forward for the stablecoin ecosystem.
The project also released its own governance token, STABLE, and set up the independent Stable Foundation, which is in charge of guiding network growth, ecosystem grants, and protocol governance. StableChain is different since it uses Tether’s USDT as its native gas token, which means that users don’t have to own volatile assets only to pay fees. It is backed by big names like Bitfinex and Tether (which are both owned by the same business). This concept intends to make payments with stablecoins faster, cheaper, and more predictable. It is aimed at both institutional settlement and ordinary retail use in a market where stablecoin volumes now surpass $46 trillion a year.
The main new thing about StableChain is Gas in USDT
StableChain’s main feature is that it uses USDT directly for transaction fees, which is different from other blockchains that use native tokens like ETH or SOL that change value all the time. This method solves a long-standing problem: users no longer have to deal with gas price changes when the network is busy or move assets between chains. Transactions are finalized in less than a second and cost less than a cent, making the network perfect for remittances, merchant payments, payroll, and high-frequency DeFi.
The EVM-compatible chain can handle more than 1,000 transactions per second with StableBFT consensus. It is designed to be easy to use for people who are not familiar with cryptocurrencies. In the announcement of the launch, CEO Brian Mehler stressed the vision: “We’re at the center of a financial revolution rewriting digital payments, activating a truly on-chain economy for individuals and enterprises alike.” StableChain makes economics that last by separating network security (managed by STABLE staking) from payment flows (paid in USDT). This means that fees gain value without causing inflation.
There was a lot of momentum before the mainnet: A two-phase deposit campaign brought in more over $2.8 billion from over 24,000 wallets, showing strong demand. Bitfinex and Hack VC co-led the $28 million seed round, with Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino as an advisor. This money helped the specialized infrastructure get off the ground.
The Stable Foundation and the STABLE Token
The STABLE token is the network’s utility asset for security, governance, and validator staking. There are 100 billion USDT tokens in circulation, and there are no plans to increase the number of tokens. Instead, incentives come from protocol fees paid in USDT that are kept in a shared treasury. The breakdown is 10% for genesis liquidity, 40% for developer grants and partnerships, and 25% each for the team and early investors. All of these amounts are subject to a one-year cliff and four-year vesting.
The Stable Foundation, which was just founded, works on its own to help the ecosystem thrive by giving out grants, running community programming, and getting involved in governance. More than 150 partners are already developing on the chain, including Anchorage Digital, PayPal, and Standard Chartered’s Libeara tokenization platform. These partners come from a wide range of fields, including DeFi, payments, custody, neobanks, and infrastructure. “The Foundation makes sure that everyone is on the same page for a long time, which lets any investor join in building global stablecoin rails,” Mehler said.
What the market did and what the price did early on
There was a lot of trade when STABLE first came out: Prices started out around $0.03–0.04 before a big decrease of more than 55% to $0.016 in 24 hours, when there was a lot of trading. After a new governance token is released, it usually goes through a lot of ups and downs since early investors are selling and taking profits. But the underlying network metrics are still looking good: StableChain’s focus on USDT settlement puts it in a good position to take some of the business from fragmented multi-chain flows.
Analysts think that StableChain’s niche will get better over time: As stablecoins get closer to a $300 billion market cap, a dedicated payments layer could make it easier for businesses to start using them. Tether’s partnerships with PayPal and Anchorage suggest that it might be used by businesses, and its 70% market share gives it built-in liquidity.
Strategic Positioning in the Race for Stablecoins
StableChain joins a crowded field where networks like Plasma (which also focuses on USDT) and general-purpose chains compete for payment supremacy. Its edge comes from being designed for a specific purpose: Tether’s compliance experience means no variable gas, consistent fees, and compliance with regulations. The chain’s capacity to work with Ethereum and Solana through bridges and its ability to do private transfers for institutions make it more appealing.
StableChain speeds up the use of stablecoins beyond trade for the whole ecosystem. It focuses on remittances (a $150 billion market) and merchant settlements, where fees cut into profits. Mehler said, “This isn’t just for institutions; the DeFi community is with us to make a new payments future happen.”
Problems and the Future
Early problems include token price swings and adoption ramps: After STABLE’s launch, the price dropped because of speculation, but USDT fees that don’t go up in value could help stabilize the price over time. There is a lot of regulatory attention around the GENIUS Act’s reserve rules, but Tether’s experience makes things less risky.
StableChain’s future success depends on how many developers use it and how much real-world volume it gets. With $2.8 billion in pre-deposits and more than 150 partners, things are starting to move. TVL might reach $50 billion by 2027 if it gets even 5% of stablecoin settlement flows.
Conclusion
The mainnet launch of Stable on December 8, which was made possible by USDT gas, STABLE governance, and the independent Foundation, is a big step forward for stablecoin infrastructure that was developed for a specific purpose.
With $28 million in investment from Bitfinex/Tether, it aims to make payments easy for both businesses and consumers. Even if STABLE’s price fell 55% to $0.016 at first, the network’s concept solves the problem of fragmentation in a $300 billion market. Mehler imagines a “truly on-chain economy,” and StableChain might change the way stablecoins work. Keep an eye out for integrations as the next big thing.
