Jack Paul 
Tether’s strategic leadership expansion
Tether has made another significant executive appointment, bringing on Benjamin Habbel as its new chief business officer. The announcement came on September 24, positioning the former Google and Limestone Capital leader at the forefront of Tether’s investment strategy. Habbel will oversee organizational growth, finance, and the expansion of Tether’s increasingly diverse investment portfolio.
This hiring represents a clear signal that Tether is serious about moving beyond its stablecoin roots. The company wants to build what it calls “resilient infrastructure” for a decentralized future, and Habbel’s background suggests they’re looking for someone who understands both technology scaling and financial discipline.
From Silicon Valley to stablecoin giant
Habbel brings an interesting mix of experiences to the role. During his time at Google, he played key roles in the expansion of major products like Android and Google Maps, earning the company’s OC Award for innovation. That Silicon Valley scaling expertise is balanced with nearly a decade as CEO of Limestone Capital, where he grew the alternative asset manager into a $1 billion global platform.
I think this hybrid background is exactly what Tether needs right now. They’re sitting on massive profits from their USDT stablecoin dominance—$172 billion in circulation with quarterly profits measured in billions—but they clearly want to deploy that capital more strategically.
Diversification beyond digital assets
Habbel’s mandate extends across Tether’s entire investment spectrum, which has become surprisingly broad. He’ll be involved with portfolio companies in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, Bitcoin mining, neurotech, real estate, and cloud computing. Tether isn’t just dabbling in these areas either—they hold 92,646.2 BTC (worth about $10.47 billion) and have made controlling investments in companies like Adecoagro, where they took a 70% stake in the sustainable agriculture giant.
The diversification strategy seems to be accelerating. Beyond their Bitcoin holdings and agricultural investments, Tether has taken positions in media companies like Be Water and Rumble, gold royalty firm Elemental Altus, and even brain-computer interface company Blackrock Neurotech.
Building for the long term
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino expressed confidence that Habbel’s leadership will help accelerate Tether’s evolution into what he describes as a “global technology and financial leader.” The language suggests Tether wants to compete directly with traditional financial giants, not just operate in the crypto space.
This appointment follows another high-profile hire last month—Bo Hines, former Executive Director of the White House Crypto Council, joined as Strategic Advisor for U.S. strategy. The timing is interesting, coming as Tether reportedly explores a $20 billion capital raise that could value the company at $500 billion.
What strikes me about these moves is how methodical they seem. Tether could easily rest on its stablecoin dominance, but instead they’re building out a proper corporate structure with experienced executives from both tech and finance. It feels like they’re preparing for something much bigger than just maintaining their current position in the market.
The challenge for Habbel will be balancing Tether’s core stablecoin business with these ambitious diversification efforts. Managing a portfolio that spans from Bitcoin mining to brain-computer interfaces requires a unique skill set. But if his track record is any indication, he might be exactly the right person for the job at this particular moment in Tether’s evolution.