$USDC USDC is one of the most trusted fiat-backed stablecoins, fully collateralized and audited—but it’s not without caveats. Issued by Circle and Coinbase, USDC is compliant and centralized, meaning it can be frozen or blacklisted under legal orders. While it offers unmatched stability and speed for DeFi and cross-border payments, privacy-conscious users may prefer alternatives like DAI. Still, with strong transparency and wide integration across chains (Ethereum, Solana, Base, and more), USDC remains a cornerstone of crypto liquidity. Use wisely, and know the tradeoffs.