Issuer explainer

What Is USDC?

USDC is the leading regulated dollar stablecoin, issued by Circle. Here is how it works, how it is backed, and where it runs, with live market data.

USDC is a U.S. dollar stablecoin launched in 2018 and issued by Circle. It is the second-largest stablecoin and the one most associated with regulatory compliance and reserve transparency.

USDC is widely used in payments, DeFi, and corporate treasury, and is a common choice for businesses precisely because of Circle's disclosure and regulatory posture, including compliance with the EU's MiCA regime.

How USDC is backed

Each USDC is backed by cash and short-dated U.S. Treasuries. A large portion of reserves sits in the Circle Reserve Fund, a regulated money market fund managed by BlackRock. Circle publishes monthly reserve attestations from Deloitte.

This combination of liquid, high-quality reserves and frequent third-party attestation is why USDC is often preferred by regulated institutions and finance teams.

Chains and availability

USDC is natively issued on many blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, Base, Arbitrum, and more, with Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) enabling native movement between them.

What USDC is used for

  • Payments, payouts, and merchant settlement
  • Corporate treasury and on-chain dollar reserves
  • Collateral and liquidity across DeFi
  • Regulated on and off ramps between fiat and crypto

Market data from CoinGecko, refreshed on each deploy. Editorial details per issuer disclosures. Not investment advice.

FAQ

USDC, answered

What is USDC?

USDC is a U.S. dollar stablecoin launched in 2018 and issued by Circle. It is the leading regulated stablecoin, redeemable 1:1 for a dollar and backed by cash and short-dated U.S. Treasuries.

Is USDC safe and regulated?

USDC is backed by high-quality liquid reserves, much of it in the BlackRock-managed Circle Reserve Fund, with monthly attestations from Deloitte. Circle operates under various regulatory regimes and USDC complies with the EU's MiCA framework, making it a common institutional choice.

What blockchains is USDC on?

USDC is natively issued on Ethereum, Solana, Base, Arbitrum, and many other chains, with Circle's CCTP enabling native cross-chain transfers.

USDC vs USDT, what is the difference?

USDT (Tether) is larger and more liquid, especially for trading and emerging-market remittances, while USDC (Circle) emphasizes regulation, reserve transparency, and institutional use. Both target a 1:1 dollar peg.