Stablecoin issuer Tether has paused its ambitious fundraising plan of up to $20 billion, pending the results of its first comprehensive financial audit. According to sources, potential investors and banks have demanded greater financial transparency from Tether during the fundraising process. The company has engaged one of the "Big Four" accounting firms for the audit, though the specific firm and timeline have not been disclosed. Tether initially launched the fundraising effort last year, aiming to raise between $15 billion and $20 billion, with a valuation of approximately $500 billion. If successful, this would position Tether as one of the highest-valued private companies globally.