He left the White House post on August 9 and, based on reports, fielded offers from about 50 projects before choosing Tether.
Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, framed the hire as part of a broader US expansion plan and said Hines’ knowledge of Washington will help the firm navigate new rules.
Hines had been involved in promoting a “Made in USA” angle while at the task force, and he spent roughly seven months in that role.
Lawmakers are now advancing clearer rules for stablecoins, and the GENIUS bill focuses largely on fiat-backed tokens. Based on reports, USDT’s reserve mix — partially backed by fiat and heavily weighted in US Treasury bills — may not fit neatly into the bill’s main outlines.
That gap is one reason Tether wants someone with policy experience who can talk to regulators and explain how USDT could operate under stricter rules. Hines is expected to meet with policy makers and other stakeholders to press Tether’s case.
Tether is a massive player. Reports place the firm among the top 15 holders of US Treasury debt with about $120 billion in bonds.
Supply metrics in 2025 underline that scale: 50 billion new USDT were minted on TRON and Ethereum this year, taking total USDT from 117 billion in January to over 160 billion.
Usage is concentrated in the Asia Pacific region and Europe, while in the US some dollar-based trading has shifted toward more regulated options like USDC on centralized platforms.
Featured image from Allison Joyce/Getty Images, chart from TradingView
