Tether open-sources wallet kit for humans and AI agents on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and beyond

Tether, the issuer of the leading stablecoin, has open-sourced its Wallet Development Kit (WDK), a modular toolkit designed to let anyone build their own self-custodial wallets across multiple blockchains.

The framework supports Bitcoin, the Lightning Network, Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, Solana, TON, and other networks, allowing developers to integrate functions like DeFi, payments, and cross-chain transfers into any device or application.

“Self-custodial wallets are the cornerstone of a free and resilient monetary infrastructure,” Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said in a Friday announcement . “We imagine a world where humans, autonomous machines, and AI agents have the freedom to control their own finances.”

The toolkit is built to work across a range of devices, including mobile apps, desktops, and embedded hardware. It includes templates and modules for developers to add wallet features like swaps and lending without relying on closed platforms.

AI push

The launch expands on Tether’s push into artificial intelligence and infrastructure.

In May, Ardoino announced Tether AI, an open-source runtime for AI agents capable of using the WDK to send and receive bitcoin and USDT payments. 

Speaking on The Block’s Big Brain podcast in June, Ardoino said he expects a surge in machine-to-machine commerce, predicting that “every single AI agent will have a wallet” within 15 years and that “we are going to have one trillion agents ” transacting in bitcoin and stablecoins. “I don’t think JPMorgan will open a bank account for any AI agent. So I think AI agents will use stablecoins and use Bitcoin to transact,” he added.