Sitting down with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy — an interview venue as unfiltered as the platforms it discussed — Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski shared the details of a $775 million investment from cryptocurrency giant Tether.
The deal marks a significant milestone for the video-sharing platform, aligning two disruptors in their fight against control over media and finance. Pavlovski used the moment to lay out Rumble’s ambitious plans to scale up globally, bring in new creators, and redefine what it means to be a platform for free speech today.
Rumble’s Meteoric Rise
Founded in 2013, Rumble has steadily grown into a bastion for those frustrated with the perceived overreach of traditional social media platforms.
Known for its commitment to free expression, Rumble gained prominence during the 2024 US presidential election, where it became a central hub for political discourse. As mainstream outlets were accused of bias and heavy-handed content moderation, Rumble positioned itself as an alternative, shattering records with 1.79 million concurrent viewers on Election Night.
This was a cultural moment, as the platform attracted voices across the political spectrum, particularly those who felt silenced elsewhere.
Tether, established in 2014, is best known for USDT, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Its purpose is straightforward: to provide the stability of fiat currency with the flexibility of cryptocurrency, enabling seamless transactions in the digital economy. With reserves exceeding $118 billion, Tether has become an integral part of the blockchain ecosystem, powering everything from trading to cross-border payments.
For Rumble, Tether represents more than just a financial partner. “When it comes to free speech and decentralization, they are exactly like me. They’re no different,” Pavlovski explained during the interview. This alignment of values underpins the partnership, which Pavlovski described as “the perfect marriage for us.”
The $250 Million Growth Plan
A key component of the $775 million investment is a $250 million allocation specifically for growth initiatives. Pavlovski outlined the goals for this funding: “Some of that will be used to bring in more content creators to the platform,” he said, emphasizing Rumble’s commitment to expanding its creator ecosystem.
In addition to attracting talent, the funds will support “strategic acquisitions” and enhancements to Rumble Cloud, the platform’s technological backbone.
These investments aim to solidify Rumble’s infrastructure, making it a robust alternative to established tech giants. “These areas are very interesting to us,” Pavlovski noted, signaling the platform’s ambition to compete on both scale and quality.
Rumble Cloud is positioning itself as a challenger to Big Tech’s dominance in cloud services, taking on industry heavyweights like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud.
By investing in its infrastructure, Rumble aims to create a scalable platform that not only powers its own ecosystem but also serves as a viable alternative for other businesses seeking decentralized and independent solutions.
Pavlovski highlighted the strategic importance of this development, noting that enhancing Rumble Cloud is foundational to the platform’s mission. These efforts reflect a broader ambition: to disrupt the status quo of Big Tech cloud services and offer creators and organizations an infrastructure aligned with the principles of free speech and even decentralization.
The Trump Effect and Global Aspirations
Pavlovski also reflected on Donald Trump’s electoral victory and its impact on Rumble’s mission. “If he’s not in power, he’s not pushing free speech around the world,” Pavlovski remarked.
The Tether partnership amplifies Rumble’s ambitions to expand globally, particularly in regions where free speech has historically faced suppression. “Now with this partnership, it really kind of opens up a whole new world to Rumble on the global side,” Pavlovski said, expressing optimism about leveraging Tether’s international presence to scale Rumble’s reach.
The integration of cryptocurrency into Rumble’s ecosystem could change the way creators monetize their content, introducing tools like crypto-based tipping and payment options.
This approach offers creators an alternative to traditional ad revenue models, aligning with Rumble’s broader mission to empower individuals and reduce reliance on centralized systems.
“It’s a phenomenal opportunity,” Pavlovski said. Saying that it puts a “rubber stamp” on Rumble’s efforts.
