iShowSpeed Pays with USDT in Nigerian Shop, Highlighting Crypto as Everyday Payment
Internet personality iShowSpeed was filmed using USDT (Tether) to buy earrings at a shop in Nigeria, after the merchant said Apple Pay and card payments were unavailable. The short clip, reposted by Cointelegraph and shared by Tether CTO Paolo Ardoino, shows the buyer asking prices in local currency and USD, then completing the sale with USDT. The transaction illustrates cryptocurrencies — particularly stablecoins like USDT and USDC — functioning as practical payment tools where traditional international payment rails are limited. The video underscores growing merchant acceptance of crypto in regions with constrained banking or card infrastructure and reinforces the narrative that digital assets can serve everyday commerce roles beyond trading and investment. No financial figures or on-chain details were provided. Disclaimer: this is informational and not financial advice.
Neutral
This event is primarily anecdotal publicity showing real-world crypto usage rather than news that directly alters market fundamentals. Merchant acceptance of USDT in Nigeria supports long-term adoption narratives for stablecoins and payments-focused assets, which is constructive for sentiment around on-chain payments. However, the clip contains no transaction volume, corporate adoption announcement, regulatory change, or large capital flows that would drive price action for USDT or broader crypto markets. Historically, celebrity or viral adoption clips produce short-lived attention spikes (temporary social-driven volatility) but limited sustained price impact unless followed by institutional uptake or regulatory developments. Short-term: mild positive sentiment and local trading interest; possible brief uptick in on-chain activity or social-driven altcoin speculation. Long-term: incremental support for stablecoin utility narratives and merchant onboarding — gradual constructive effect on payment-use cases but unlikely to move markets materially on its own.