Tetrapolar Launches USDT Escrow on the Liquid Network
Escrow contracts can now be executed in USDT on the Liquid Network which brings us closer to our vision of bitcoin-native trade finance.
We are now live with Tether USDT settlement on the Liquid Network, extending Tetrapolar's non-custodial escrow to the stablecoin most widely used in global trade.
This integration means buyers and sellers can lock USDT in multisignature escrow contracts with the same architecture that already secures our bitcoin escrows. Funds are never held by Tetrapolar. Instead, they reside in a shared wallet with two possible spending paths: a cooperative branch requiring signatures from buyer and seller together, and a backup branch requiring any two of the three parties—buyer, seller, and Tetrapolar—to resolve disputes or recover from lost keys.
Why Liquid?
We chose the Liquid Network because it is the only Bitcoin sidechain that combines one-minute block times, deterministic two-minute finality, and Confidential Transactions that hide payment amounts from public view. For importers, exporters, and high-value traders, this means faster settlement than mainchain bitcoin and greater privacy than Ethereum or Tron, without leaving the Bitcoin ecosystem. If you are unfamiliar with Liquid, we have published a primer on how it works and who governs it here.
How It Works
The mechanics mirror our existing bitcoin escrow. When a contract is created, three keys are generated—one for the buyer, one for the seller, and one for Tetrapolar. In the cooperative case, the buyer and seller sign together to release funds. If they disagree, Tetrapolar can intervene as a neutral third signature. Miniscript timelocks provide recovery branches in case keys are lost, preventing permanent lockups.
Beta Terms
USDT escrow on Liquid is available immediately under our open beta limits: minimum contract size of $1,000 and maximum of $100,000 per transaction. These limits will be reviewed and expanded as the integration matures.
Toward a Comprehensive Suite
Stablecoin escrow is a foundational primitive. Most international trade still denominates contracts in dollars, and USDT has become the de facto settlement rail for cross-border payments. By bringing USDT into the same non-custodial, multisig framework as our bitcoin escrows, we remove another point of trust from high-value global transactions. This launch is one step toward the comprehensive suite of Bitcoin-native tools that will power trade finance without custodial intermediaries.
Get Started
Existing users will be prompted to create Liquid keys from their dashboard in order to participate in USDT contracts. New users can sign up at tetrapolar.com.
Questions? Reach us at info@tetrapolar.com.
