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Tether, the world's leading stablecoin issuer, has announced a strategic investment in Blackrock Neurotech, a company developing cutting-edge brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, according to a statement on Monday.
Founded in 2008 out of the University of Utah by scientists and BCI pioneers Dr. Florian Solzbacher and Marcus Gerhardt, Blackrock Neurotech calls itself the "world’s technology leader in the neuroscience, neural engineering, and neural prosthetics space."
Blackrock Neurotech's BCIs allow individuals with paralysis and other neurological conditions to control robotic limbs and communicate through thought. Tether's investment will support Blackrock Neurotech's ongoing research and development efforts, accelerating the progress of these transformative technologies.
Why is Tether Investing in Brain-Computer Interfaces?
While Tether's core business revolves around issuing the USDT stablecoin, this investment suggests a broader vision for the company's future. As explored in a previous article, Tether may be strategically positioning itself at the forefront of emerging technologies with the potential to disrupt various industries.
Blockhead
BCI technology has the potential to revolutionize numerous fields, including healthcare, finance, and entertainment. By investing in Blackrock Neurotech, Tether gains exposure to this rapidly developing market and its potentially transformative applications.
Tether also has spare cash to play around with: according to the company's Q4 attestation report, the firm booked a profit of $2.85 billion in the final quarter of last year, amounting to an annual profit of $6.2 billion for 2023.
Potential applications
While we can only speculate on the possible reasons why Tether might be interested in BCI technology, some potential applications include:
- Future of finance: BCI technology could potentially be used to create new and more secure methods of digital asset authentication and transaction authorization.
- Expansion into the metaverse: As the metaverse continues to develop, BCI technology could play a crucial role in facilitating more immersive and interactive user experiences.
- Healthcare: Tether's investment could signal an interest in exploring the potential of BCI technology for medical applications beyond those currently offered by Blackrock Neurotech.
“Blackrock Neurotech is just the beginning of our journey through Tether Evo to venture into projects that redefine the boundaries of what’s possible at the intersection of technological innovation and human potential," said Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether.
"Tether has long believed in nurturing emerging technologies that have transformative capabilities, and the Brain-Computer-Interfaces of Blackrock Neurotech have the potential to open new realms of communication, rehabilitation, and cognitive enhancement,” he added.
The future implications of this investment remain to be seen, but it has the potential to shape the development of both BCI technology and the digital asset industry as a whole.
