Tether, the company behind the popular stablecoin USDT, has just made a big move to support the future of digital finance and artificial intelligence. They’ve released their Wallet Development Kit (WDK) as open-source software, which means anyone can now use it to build their own crypto wallets that work across many different blockchains.

This toolkit is modular and flexible, allowing developers to create self-custodial wallets. That means users can control their own digital money without needing to rely on banks or third-party services. The WDK supports major blockchain networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, TON, Arbitrum, and even the Lightning Network. Developers can easily add features like crypto payments, lending, swapping, and cross-chain transfers into any app or device.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino explained that this release is part of a bigger strategy to support the rise of AI and autonomous agents in the crypto world. He believes that in the near future, not just people—but also machines and AI systems—will need to manage their own digital money. And they’ll do it using self-custodial wallets.

The Wallet Development Kit is designed to work on all kinds of devices: smartphones, desktop apps, and even hardware devices. It includes ready-to-use templates and components that make it easier for developers to get started without depending on closed or centralized platforms.

This move follows Tether’s growing interest in artificial intelligence. Back in May, the company announced “Tether AI,” an open-source platform where AI agents can send and receive payments in Bitcoin or USDT using this new wallet toolkit.

In a recent podcast interview, Ardoino shared his vision for the future. He predicts a huge increase in transactions between AI agents—software programs that act independently—and says each one will need its own wallet. He expects that within 15 years, there could be up to one trillion AI agents handling digital payments using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and stablecoins. Since traditional banks aren’t likely to open accounts for AI, stablecoins and crypto wallets will be the go-to solution for this new type of economy.

With this open-source Wallet Development Kit, Tether is giving developers the tools they need to build that future today. Whether for humans or machines, the goal is clear: give everyone full control over their digital money.