Tether Plans $1B Investment in German Robotics Startup Neura
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Stablecoin giant Tether is reportedly in discussions to lead a one billion dollar funding round for Neura Robotics, a German startup specializing in AI-powered humanoid robots. This potential deal could value Neura between eight billion and ten billion dollars, according to a report from the Financial Times, which cites sources familiar with the negotiations.
If finalized, this investment would represent a significant increase from Neura's last funding round in January, where the company raised one hundred twenty million dollars. Tether has not confirmed these talks but has stated that it is actively exploring numerous opportunities in frontier technology.
Neura's primary product is a humanoid robot designed for industrial applications, with ambitions to extend its use into home environments. The company aims to produce five million robots by the year 2030 and is positioning its technology as a potential mainstream breakthrough, likening it to an iPhone moment for robotics.
Neura has already secured one billion dollars in orders, according to their January announcement. Tether's expanding investment portfolio includes ventures in agriculture, brain technology, and sports.
The company reported over ten billion dollars in profit for the first nine months of the year by leveraging reserves from its stablecoin operations, which include substantial holdings in U.S. Treasuries.
In addition to these investments, Tether also maintains billions in gold and bitcoin reserves. Recently, Tether has increased its investment in the video-sharing platform Rumble and was previously looking to raise funds at a five hundred billion dollar valuation.
Interest in humanoid robots is surging, as companies like Nvidia, Tesla, and SoftBank are racing to apply generative AI to physical machines. Tesla has set a target of producing one million of its Optimus robots by 2030.
Other startups such as 1X, Figure AI, and The Bot Company are also vying for a share of what Nvidia's CEO has described as a multitrillion-dollar market opportunity.