Tether has announced plans to launch GELT, a stablecoin representing the Georgian lari, with support from the Georgian government. The project is positioned as one of the first efforts to place a national currency directly onto digital asset rails under a purpose-built stablecoin regulatory framework.

According to Tether, GELT is designed to enable lower transaction costs, faster settlement and programmable payments. The company expects the token to support cross-border commerce, digital payments and broader access to programmable financial infrastructure across Georgia and the wider region.

Georgia is also trying to position itself as a jurisdiction with clearer digital-asset rules. Tether says the country’s framework is being designed with “substantive compatibility” with emerging U.S. stablecoin regulation, including the GENIUS Act. That may help attract institutional interest, although it does not yet answer all technical and legal questions.

Tether has not yet disclosed GEL₮’s reserve structure, launch timeline, supported blockchains or operational rollout. For now, the announcement should be treated as a strategic plan rather than a fully launched product. The move fits Tether’s broader push into jurisdiction-specific fiat stablecoins after MXNT, EURT and its U.S.-focused USAT.