Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has issued a strong defense of the stablecoin issuer's financial health in response to recent reports involving S&P scrutiny and lingering insolvency fears. Ardoino suggested that certain criticisms towards Tether may be intentional and emphasized the company's robust profitability. The company reports approximately $215 billion in assets versus roughly $184.5 billion in liabilities, refuting risks of collapse from market drops. S&P recently downgraded Tether's stability assessment to 'Weak' (4 out of 5), citing issues with transparency and a 5.6% reserve allocation to Bitcoin, which they view as volatile. In contrast, they rated USDC higher ('Strong'). Ardoino countered this by highlighting that Tether holds nearly $30 billion in total group equity, providing a substantial buffer against volatility that exceeds the capitalization of many traditional banks. [Update 1] Further reinforcing these claims, Paolo Ardoino has officially confirmed specific financial figures as of the end of Q3 2025. He revealed that Tether holds approximately $7 billion in excess equity specifically within the stablecoin entity, while total group equity is approaching the $30 billion mark. He emphasized that this multi-billion-dollar buffer is maintained specifically to ensure stability against market volatility and FUD.