{"id":60484,"date":"2026-04-02T18:38:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T22:38:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/golden-pass-lng-eyes-first-export-as-tether-targets-historic-500-billion-valuation\/60484\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T18:38:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T22:38:22","slug":"golden-pass-lng-eyes-first-export-as-tether-targets-historic-500-billion-valuation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/golden-pass-lng-eyes-first-export-as-tether-targets-historic-500-billion-valuation\/60484\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden Pass LNG Eyes First Export as Tether Targets Historic $500 Billion Valuation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Golden Pass LNG<\/strong> is scheduled to load its inaugural export cargo by the end of <strong>April 2026<\/strong>, marking a pivotal shift from construction to active operations for the Texas-based terminal.<\/li>\n<li>Stablecoin issuer <strong>Tether<\/strong> is reportedly making a final push for a fundraising round at a <strong>$500 billion valuation<\/strong>, giving prospective investors a strict <strong>two-week deadline<\/strong> to commit.<\/li>\n<li>Feedgas intake at the Golden Pass facility has surged to approximately <strong>320 million cubic feet per day (MMcf\/d)<\/strong>, signaling that Train 1 is nearing full-scale production capacity.<\/li>\n<li>The proposed <strong>$500 billion<\/strong> valuation for <strong>Tether<\/strong> would cement its status as one of the world&#39;s most valuable private companies, reflecting the massive scale of its <strong>USDT<\/strong> reserves and recent profitability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector reached a major milestone this week as the <strong>Golden Pass LNG<\/strong> terminal prepared for its first-ever export. According to trade sources and ship-tracking data from Kpler, a vessel controlled by project partner ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>) is expected to arrive at the Sabine Pass facility around <strong>April 28<\/strong> to load the inaugural cargo.<\/p>\n<p>The facility, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>), has seen a steady rise in feedgas intake as it completes the commissioning of its first liquefaction train. Data indicates that nominations have climbed to roughly <strong>320 MMcf\/d<\/strong>, up from an average of <strong>200 MMcf\/d<\/strong> in previous weeks. <em>Market analysts suggest that the successful startup of Golden Pass will provide a significant boost to U.S. export capacity, potentially easing global supply constraints.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In the digital asset space, <strong>Tether<\/strong> is moving to finalize a high-stakes fundraising round that could redefine the valuation landscape for fintech firms. <em>The Information<\/em> reported on Thursday that the issuer of the <strong>USDT<\/strong> stablecoin is seeking a <strong>$500 billion valuation<\/strong>, a figure that would place it in the same league as global tech titans and major financial institutions.<\/p>\n<p>Investors have been given a <strong>two-week window<\/strong> to finalize their commitments to the round. This aggressive timeline comes as <strong>Tether<\/strong> continues to report record-breaking financials, including an estimated <strong>$10 billion in profit<\/strong> over the last year. The company remains a dominant force in the crypto economy, currently holding over <strong>$122 billion in U.S. Treasury securities<\/strong>, making it one of the largest private holders of sovereign debt globally.<\/p>\n<p><em>The dual developments in the energy and crypto sectors highlight a period of intense capital activity and infrastructure maturation.<\/em> While <strong>Golden Pass LNG<\/strong> represents a multi-billion dollar bet on the long-term demand for natural gas, <strong>Tether\u2019s<\/strong> massive valuation target reflects the growing institutionalization of stablecoins as a core component of the global financial system. Investors are closely watching the <strong>April 2026<\/strong> window for both the physical departure of the first LNG tanker and the formal closing of the Tether funding round.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Golden Pass LNG is scheduled to load its inaugural export cargo by the end of April 2026, marking 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