Tether Buys $20.6M More Rumble Stock, Boosts Stake To 16.6%

Tether acquired 4.6 million additional shares of Rumble stock on June 26, 2026, in a transaction valued at approximately $20.6 million based on the closing price of $4.54. The purchase, reported by Finance.Yahoo.com, marks the stablecoin issuer's second substantial investment in the video platform this quarter. The latest acquisition increases Tether's total ownership in Rumble to approximately 16.6% of the company's outstanding common shares, cementing its position as the largest institutional shareholder.

Context — why this matters now

Tether's aggressive accumulation of Rumble shares coincides with a period of heightened capital deployment by the stablecoin issuer. In March 2026, Tether disclosed a $1 billion investment strategy targeting artificial intelligence, alternative financial infrastructure, and data storage technologies. The company's USDT stablecoin holds a $113 billion market capitalization, generating significant revenue from treasury management on its reserves.

The current macro backdrop features elevated short-term interest rates near 4.75% in the US. This environment advantages entities like Tether that earn yield on massive reserve holdings. The specific catalyst for this transaction appears to be a strategic alignment with Rumble's parallel expansion into cloud services. Rumble Cloud launched in late 2025 as a direct competitor to AWS and Google Cloud, targeting clients seeking content-neutral infrastructure.

This purchase follows Tether's initial $100 million investment in Rumble in 2023, which funded the video platform's public listing via a SPAC merger. The investment thesis likely hinges on synergies between Rumble's growing cloud infrastructure and Tether's need for resilient, censorship-resistant data and payment channels. Both companies position themselves as alternatives to mainstream, centralized technology providers.

Data — what the numbers show

Tether paid an estimated $20.6 million for the 4.6 million shares, representing a 4.8% premium over Rumble's 30-day volume-weighted average price of $4.33. Rumble stock closed at $4.54 on June 26, giving the company a market capitalization of approximately $1.13 billion. The stock is down 18% year-to-date, underperforming the Nasdaq Composite's 7% gain over the same period.

Rumble's reported quarterly revenue grew 42% year-over-year to $26.4 million, though net losses widened. User metrics show 64 million average monthly active users globally. The transaction increases Tether's total Rumble share count to over 66 million shares. The table below outlines the before-and-after ownership structure.

Metric	Pre-Transaction	Post-Transaction
Tether's RUM Shares	~61.4M	~66.0M
Approx. Ownership %	15.0%	16.6%
Est. Investment Value	~$278M	~$300M

Insider ownership at Rumble remains concentrated, with CEO Chris Pavlovski holding a 28% stake. Combined, Tether and Pavlovski control over 44% of voting power. The stock's float is relatively tight, which can amplify price moves on significant volume.

Analysis — what it means for markets / sectors / tickers

The continued investment signals Tether's conviction in Rumble's long-term business model beyond video hosting. It represents a direct flow of capital from the digital asset sector into public equity markets, a crossover trend gaining momentum. Companies positioned as anti-censorship or infrastructure-alternative plays, like DigitalOcean (DOCN) or certain data center REITs, may see increased investor scrutiny for similar strategic appeal.

A key counter-argument is that Tether's investment is not a market-driven endorsement of Rumble's current profitability but a strategic acquisition of influence over critical infrastructure. Rumble continues to operate at a loss, burning approximately $12 million in cash last quarter. The investment does not guarantee commercial success for Rumble Cloud or user growth for its core platform.

The flow is decidedly long, with Tether accumulating a non-controlling but dominant position. Short interest in RUM remains elevated near 18% of the float, indicating a stark divide between strategic investors like Tether and skeptical traders focused on fundamentals. This sets the stage for potential volatility around quarterly earnings if losses persist despite the strategic backing.

Outlook — what to watch next

Market participants should monitor Rumble's next earnings report, scheduled for August 7, 2026, for details on Cloud segment revenue and user engagement metrics. Any announcement of a formal partnership between Rumble Cloud and Tether for payment or data services would be a significant catalyst. The closing of Tether's $500 million funding round into Northern Data Group, expected in Q3 2026, will indicate if this Rumble purchase is part of a broader infrastructure investment spree.

For RUM stock, the $4.00 level serves as critical near-term support, representing the post-SPAC merger lows. Resistance sits near $5.50, where the stock peaked in April following the initial investment news. A break above $6.00 would require a fundamental improvement in profitability or a major new partnership announcement. Watch the 50-day moving average, currently at $4.70, for short-term momentum signals.

Regulatory developments concerning stablecoin issuers' permitted investment activities, particularly from US lawmakers, could impact Tether's ability to make further equity purchases. Congressional hearings on the topic are tentatively slated for September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Tether's investment mean for retail investors in RUM?

Retail investors now share a cap table with one of the most capitalized private entities in the digital asset space. Tether's growing stake provides Rumble with a deep-pocketed, strategic ally that can fund operations or strategic acquisitions without immediate pressure for profitability. However, it also introduces concentration risk, where one shareholder's actions can disproportionately impact the stock price. Retail investors should assess Rumble's fundamental path to profitability independently of Tether's backing.

How does Tether's 16.6% stake compare to other crypto investments in public companies?

This is among the largest equity positions taken by a crypto-native firm in a US-listed company. MicroStrategy's (MSTR) Bitcoin acquisition strategy is a corporate treasury decision, not an external investment. By comparison, Coinbase Ventures makes numerous smaller, early-stage investments. Tether's scale is more comparable to SoftBank's Vision Fund in niche sectors, though focused on a single thesis of alternative infrastructure. The closest historical parallel is early internet-era investments by Microsoft in companies like Apple.

Can Tether use its Rumble stake to influence company policy?

With 16.6% ownership, Tether has significant influence but not outright control. It can sway board elections, vote on major corporate actions, and advocate for strategic direction. Given CEO Chris Pavlovski's 28% stake, major decisions require collaboration between the two largest shareholders. This dynamic creates a powerful bloc that can direct Rumble's resources toward projects that align with Tether's vision for decentralized finance and censorship-resistant tech stacks.

Bottom Line

Tether is buying strategic influence over internet infrastructure, not just betting on a video stock.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. CFD trading carries high risk of capital loss.