Tether and Shiga announced on September 28 a collaboration to develop self-custodial financial products across Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The initiative follows Tether's strategic investment in Shiga in 2025.
The partnership centers on two distinct products using Tether's open-source Wallet Development Kit (WDK). Both products enable users and institutions to hold and transfer USDT, Bitcoin and Tether Gold (XAUT).
Consumer and Institutional Offerings
ENTA is designed for individuals, high-net-worth users and businesses. Users can fund self-custodial wallets using local currency, U.S. dollars or Bitcoin, then hold and transfer supported assets.
Pulse targets financial institutions. Banks and fintech companies can use the infrastructure to build digital-asset services around specific payment corridors, treasury operations and settlement flows.
Both products emphasize self-custody, allowing users and institutions to retain control of their keys and assets rather than relying on a centralized provider. Institutional customers can use Shiga-managed infrastructure or deploy the technology within their own environment.
Market Focus and Regulatory Path
Africa represents a key market for this infrastructure. According to World Bank data cited by Tether, the average cost of sending remittances to Sub-Saharan Africa reached 8.46% in 2025. Stablecoins may reduce friction in moving dollar-denominated value across borders, particularly where conventional dollar banking access is limited.
Shiga is completing the final stage of approval for a Digital Asset Intermediary licence in Nigeria. The licence has not yet been granted. If approved, it would allow the company to provide regulated dealing, broking and custody services in the country.
The partnership reflects Tether's strategy of expanding WDK as infrastructure for other businesses to build upon, rather than requiring users to adopt a Tether-branded wallet directly.
