Venezuela Receives 80% of Oil Revenue in Tether (USDT), Economist Says

Published at 2025-12-22 20:30:12

Local economist Asdrúbal Oliveros says Venezuela now receives roughly 80% of its crude oil sales revenue in Tether’s USDT, marking a major move toward crypto-settled energy receipts. Oliveros’s report frames the change as a pragmatic response to limited access to traditional correspondent banking and persistent foreign-exchange shortages.

The trend matters because stablecoin inflows can speed settlement, preserve hard-currency value against high local inflation, and expand payment options for exporters. At the same time, reliance on USDT raises questions about convertibility, counterparty concentration, and potential regulatory scrutiny. Market participants will be watching how these dollar-pegged receipts are converted into local currency or fiat and what that means for Venezuela’s broader financial and oil-market relationships.

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