Zachary Lyons is a financial industry veteran and the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of Tether, the company that issues the USDT stablecoin. He was appointed to the role in March 2026, having previously served as the firm's deputy CIO for over seven years. ^{[1] [2]}​

Career

Lyons has an extensive background in investment management, holding senior positions at several financial institutions in the Bahamas before joining Tether. His career is marked by a progression to the top investment role at one of the most significant companies in the digital asset industry. ^[1]​

Tether

Lyons has been a key figure within Tether's investment division for a significant portion of the company's history. He joined the firm around or before early 2019 and served for over seven years as the deputy Chief Investment Officer before his promotion to the C-suite. ^[1]​

On March 12, 2026, it was publicly announced that Lyons would be promoted to the role of Chief Investment Officer, with the appointment becoming effective on March 13, 2026. ^{[3] [1]} In this capacity, he is responsible for managing Tether's vast investment portfolio, which includes the reserves that back the circulating supply of the USDT stablecoin. ^[3] He succeeded Richard Heathcote, who transitioned from the CIO position to a non-executive advisory role within the company. ^{[2] [3]}​

During his tenure as deputy CIO, Lyons worked in close collaboration with Heathcote, his predecessor. ^[2] Tether credited Lyons with having "played an important role in developing Tether’s investment approach" during his time in the deputy role. Upon his promotion, Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated his excitement for Lyons to "help lead the next phase of growth" for the company. ^[1]​

Financial Industry Experience

Prior to his long tenure at Tether, Lyons held several senior investment roles in the traditional financial sector, establishing himself as a "financial industry veteran." His previous experience includes serving as the Chief Investment Officer for BankPro. He also worked as a senior investment analyst at Deltec Bank & Trust, a financial institution known for its connections to the digital asset industry. His earlier career includes a position as an investment specialist at BSI (Overseas) Bahamas. ^[1]​