USDT stablecoin issuer Tether has unveiled a wellness platform that consolidates information from various fitness wearables and health apps into a single interface, with all processing handled directly on users’ devices to maintain control over their biometric data.

The platform, QVAC Health, pulls together information from nutrition trackers, activity monitors and other connected devices into an encrypted, offline-capable dashboard. According to Wednesday’s announcement, it uses on-device AI and peer-to-peer model transfers to analyze activity patterns, meals, symptoms and medications without sending data to external servers.

The app also incorporates experimental computer-vision tools that can estimate calories and macronutrient content from photos of meals, correlating those entries with data from multiple wearables to uncover links in sleep, recovery or physical activity — all processed locally.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino described the new platform as a “neutral ground for wellness data” and said it reflects the “company’s commitment to privacy-preserving local intelligence.”

Expanding local AI aapabilities

Future releases are planned to include Bluetooth Low Energy connections enabling the app to read data directly from select wearables without relying on cloud-based manufacturer APIs. QVAC Health is part of the broader QVAC initiative within Tether Data, which focuses on peer-to-peer AI systems designed to operate independently of centralized infrastructure.

The global market for fitness-tracking devices was estimated at $52.29 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach nearly $190 billion by 2032, according to Verified Market Research, with major players such as Apple, Fitbit, Samsung and Huawei shaping the sector.

Rising privacy challenges boost decentralized approaches

The launch aligns with previous comments from Ardoino in 2024, when he argued that local AI processing was the only dependable way to keep user information secure from the risks associated with centralized data storage. Former White House adviser David Holtzman echoed similar concerns in late 2024, warning that AI-driven aggregation and eventually quantum computing could expose centralized repositories to significant threats. He said decentralized structures can limit that exposure by avoiding large data clusters altogether.

The cryptocurrency community has been responding to these concerns in multiple ways. Vitalik Buterin proposed a “pluralistic identity” model in June — a digital ID approach allowing users to verify eligibility or identity without revealing their full personal details. Circle is also working on a privacy-enhanced stablecoin, USDCx, in partnership with Aleo, intended to provide institutional users with banking-style confidentiality while maintaining compliance capabilities.

Growing anxiety over surveillance and data leaks has also renewed attention toward privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, with Zcash emerging as one of the notable beneficiaries.

Sources:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fitness-tracker-market-is-expected-to-generate-a-revenue-of-usd-189-98-billion-by-2032--globally-at-17-50-cagr-verified-market-research-302549118.html

https://tether.io/news/tether-unveils-qvac-health-the-universal-privacy-first-hub-for-your-wellness-data/

https://cointelegraph.com/news/tether-privacy-health-platform-device-ai

https://qvac.tether.dev/products/health/

https://defillama.com/stablecoins