Stablecoin issuer Tether has joined a €70 million ($81.6 million) funding round for Generative Bionics, an Italy-based humanoid-robotics startup leveraging research from the Italian Institute of Technology. The investment marks another strategic step in Tether’s rapid expansion into artificial intelligence, advanced computing and deep-tech sectors.

The round was led by CDP Venture Capital, Italy’s state-backed investor, through its Artificial Intelligence Fund. Other participants include AMD Ventures, the venture arm of US semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices, along with several industrial backers.

According to Generative Bionics, the newly raised capital will accelerate product development, the training of physical AI systems, and the company’s move toward industrial-scale deployment. The startup will integrate 70 engineers from the Italian Institute of Technology as part of its expansion and aims to debut its first fully assembled humanoid robot at CES in Las Vegas this January.

Generative Bionics specializes in building advanced robotic systems for industrial environments, combining tactile sensing, learning architectures, and human–robot interaction technologies. Its robots are designed for applications in manufacturing, logistics and operational automation, where AI-driven adaptability is increasingly in demand.

For Tether, the investment adds to a growing list of ambitious initiatives outside its core stablecoin business. Backed by large reserves and benefiting from high interest rates, Tether expects to generate around $15 billion in profits this year, much of which is being reinvested into emerging technologies. The company has recently taken positions across commodities, AI, data infrastructure, and even brain-computer interfaces, including its backing of Blackrock Neurotech.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino has previously stated that the company’s expansion into artificial intelligence is aimed at building a future internet where individuals maintain stronger control over their personal data.

With its latest investment, Tether is positioning itself at the intersection of robotics and AI – sectors accelerating rapidly as automation reshapes global industry. Generative Bionics’ upcoming launch at CES will now be a closely watched milestone in that evolution.