USDT once again set the pace of uncertainty in Venezuela, in a context of maximum political tension following Trump's announcements about Maduro.

During the geopolitical event, US President Donald Trump announced in the early hours of January 3rd the capture of Nicolás Maduro during a military operation in Venezuela. This action generated immediate repercussions in financial markets, particularly in the USDT/VES pair, where the Tether stablecoin experienced significant volatility.

According to the White House, US forces carried out airstrikes in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, culminating in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were then taken out of the country. Trump himself confirmed the operation through a statement on the Truth Social platform, describing it as a measure to combat drug trafficking and restore stability in the region.

The announcement of the seizure triggered an immediate reaction in the USDTen Venezuela P2P market. On January 2, 2026, at 10:00 AM, the rate was approximately 572.15 VES per USDT. At the time of writing, data from platforms like Bybit showed buy offers with rates ranging between 650 and 673 bolivars (VES) per USDT, although in recent hours some reached as high as VES 941 during the initial panic.

It's worth remembering that, in Venezuela, the Tether stablecoin has emerged as a safe haven against rampant inflation and restrictions on access to foreign currency. Some enthusiasts and analysts, such as Alexis Valera, maintain that the country has become a "global case study" for the way its citizens have adopted digital currencies. That is, as everyday tools for preserving value, payments, remittances, and commerce.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) has remained calm in the face of the geopolitical announcement. The asset is currently trading around US$89,927, registering a positive change of more than 0.57% in the last 24 hours.