USDC vs USDT: How to Avoid the Biggest Mistake When Picking a Stablecoin

USDC vs USDT: Two stablecoins that aim to preserve their value. But how do they work and what are their pros and cons? This article will give you an overview of these popular cryptocurrencies.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are designed to maintain a stable value relative to another asset, such as a fiat currency, a commodity, or another cryptocurrency. Stablecoins aim to provide the benefits of cryptocurrencies, such as fast, cheap, and borderless transactions, without the drawbacks of high volatility and price fluctuations.

Stablecoins can be used for various purposes, such as trading, payments, remittances, lending, borrowing, and saving.

There are many types of stablecoins in the crypto market, but two of the most popular and widely used ones are USDC and USDT. Both of them are pegged to the US dollar and backed by reserve assets.

However, they also have some differences that may affect your choice depending on your preferences and needs. In this blog post, we will compare USDC and USDT in terms of their features and advantages, and help you decide which stablecoin is better for you.

What is USDC?

USDC stands for USD Coin. It is a fiat-backed stablecoin that is pegged to the US dollar on a 1:1 basis. It was launched in 2018 by Circle and Coinbase as part of the Centre consortium. USDC is an ERC-20 token that runs on the Ethereum blockchain. It can also be issued on other blockchains, such as Algorand, Stellar, Solana, and Tron.

USDC is transparent about its reserves and compliance. It publishes monthly attestations by an independent accounting firm that verify that the number of US dollars held in reserve matches the amount of USDC in circulation. It also follows strict regulatory standards and obtains licenses from various jurisdictions.

USDC is one of the most popular and widely used stablecoins in the crypto market. It has a market capitalization of over $37 billion and a daily trading volume of over $4 billion at the time of writing. USDC is supported by many crypto platforms and applications, such as exchanges, wallets, DeFi protocols, payment services, and remittance platforms.\

What is USDT?

USDT stands for Tether. It is also a fiat-backed stablecoin that is pegged to the US dollar on a 1:1 basis. It was launched in 2014 by Tether Limited as one of the first stablecoins in the crypto market.

USDT was originally issued on the Omni Layer protocol that runs on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. It has since expanded to other blockchains, such as Ethereum, Tron, EOS, Binance Smart Chain, and Solana.

USDT is not transparent about its reserves. It has been accused of not having sufficient backing for its tokens and manipulating the price of Bitcoin. It has also been involved in legal disputes with regulators and authorities.

However, Tether Limited has denied these allegations and claims to have full backing for its tokens. It also publishes quarterly attestations by an independent accounting firm that verify its reserves.

USDT is the most traded cryptocurrency in the world with the highest 24-hour volume. It has a market capitalization of over $74 billion at the time of writing. USDT is supported by almost every crypto platform and application in the industry.

USDC vs USDT: Which One Should You Use?

Both USDC and USDT are fiat-backed stablecoins that are pegged to the US dollar. They have similar functions and use cases in the crypto market. However, they also have some differences that may affect your choice depending on your preferences and needs. Here are some of the main differences between USDC and USDT:

Transparency and compliance:

USDC is more transparent and compliant than USDT. USDC publishes monthly attestations by an independent accounting firm that verify its reserves. USDC also follows strict regulatory standards and obtains licenses from various jurisdictions.

USDT publishes quarterly attestations by an independent accounting firm that verify its reserves, but they are not as detailed and comprehensive as USDC’s. USDT also faces some legal disputes and investigations from regulators and authorities.

Adoption and liquidity:

USDT is more adopted and liquid than USDC. USDT is the most traded cryptocurrency in the world with the highest 24-hour volume. USDT is supported by almost every crypto platform and application in the industry. USDC is also popular and widely used, but not as much as USDT. USDC has a lower 24-hour volume and market capitalization than USDT.

Blockchain support:

USDT supports more blockchains than USDC. USDT is issued on six different blockchains: Omni Layer, Ethereum, Tron, EOS, Binance Smart Chain, and Solana. This means that you can use USDT on more platforms and applications that run on different blockchains than USDC.

USDC is issued on five different blockchains: Ethereum, Algorand, Stellar, Solana, and Tron. This means that you can use USDC on more modern and innovative platforms and applications than USDT.

Based on these differences, some users may prefer one stablecoin over another depending on their preferences and needs. For example, some users may value transparency and compliance more than adoption and liquidity, while others may value blockchain support more than issuer reputation.

There is no definitive answer to which stablecoin is better or more favored by users, as it depends on various factors and trade-offs.

However, it seems that USDT has more popularity than USDC in terms of market share, trade volume, and media coverage. This may be due to its longer history, wider adoption, and higher liquidity in the crypto market.

Keep in mind that this does not mean that USDT is superior or safer than USDC in every aspect. Some users may still prefer USDC for its transparency, compliance, and modern applications.

How to buy USDC and USDT using KEYRING PRO wallet.

1. Download KEYRING PRO. 
2. Create your account.
3. Choosing the Ethereum chain
4. Hit Buy
5. Choose USDC or USDT, it’s up to you!
6. Insert the amount of money you want to use.
7. Hit Next to proceed with your payment!

Conclusion

USDC and USDT are both fiat-backed stablecoins that are pegged to the US dollar. They offer the benefits of cryptocurrencies without the drawbacks of volatility and price fluctuations. They can be used for various purposes, such as trading, payments, remittances, lending, borrowing, and saving.

While they have similar functions and use cases, they also have some differences that may affect your choice depending on your preferences and needs. USDC is more transparent and compliant than USDT, but USDT is more adopted and liquid than USDC. USDT also supports more blockchains than USDC.

Ultimately, the choice between USDC and USDT depends on your personal preference and needs. You may want to use both of them for different purposes or situations. You may also want to diversify your stablecoin portfolio with other types of stablecoins, such as commodity-backed or algorithmic ones.

Whatever you choose, you can easily buy or sell both USDC and USDT with your credit card or bank transfer using some crypto platforms that support this option. You can also swap between different versions of USDC or USDT using bridges or converters that allow cross-chain transfers.