what is USDC
What Is USDC?
Launched in 2018 by Circle, a prominent global fintech company, USDC is designed to mirror the stability of the US dollar while leveraging the benefits of blockchain technology. Each USDC digital asset is fully reserved in order to maintain 1:1 value and redeemability with the US dollar.
The purpose of USDC is to facilitate fast transactions, cost-effective payments, and frictionless trading opportunities in a global context. With its transparency and regulatory compliance, USDC has established itself as a trustworthy player in the cryptocurrency space.
How Does USDC Work?
USDC operates on most of the world’s major blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Solana, Sui, and more. As a fully reserved stablecoin, every issued USDC is backed by an equivalent US dollar or cash-equivalent assets held in regulated financial institutions. This means that holders can redeem their USDC at any time for the equivalent amount in USD, ensuring its stability as a digital dollar.
Technical aspects
While USDC is primarily built on Ethereum's blockchain as an ERC-20 token, it is also supported on many other blockchains to boost its widespread accessibility. USDC is natively issued on more than 15 blockchains according to their respective tokenization standards for seamless interoperability across each on-chain ecosystem.
Instant settlements
One of the standout features of USDC is its ability to facilitate near-instant settlements. Unlike traditional banking infrastructure, which can take several days to process transactions, USDC transactions can settle in mere seconds, and aren’t affected by banking hour limitations like nights, weekends, or holidays. This frictionless experience positions USDC as a powerful tool for peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions and cross-border payments among a multitude of additional use cases.
What Makes USDC Unique?
USDC distinguishes itself in the market through a combination of several unique value propositions:
Open and accessible: USDC connects people globally, designed to be accessible to everyone. With its near-instant availability, users can send, spend, save, and trade with USDC almost anywhere in the world, creating opportunities for financial inclusivity.
Regulation and transparency: Issued by Circle, USDC adheres to strict regulatory standards, ensuring that its reserves are well-managed and fully backed. Circle provides monthly attestation reports that confirm the status of USDC reserves, promoting a high level of trust among users.
Secure and frictionless: USDC provides a more secure way to exchange value compared to traditional payment methods. It moves seamlessly and securely around the world, enabling users to send USDC across borders in seconds, without the need for a bank account.
Cost efficiency: Transactions using USDC can be executed for as low as fractions of a cent, making it a cost-effective option for global payments compared to traditional methods that incur significant fees as payments are routed through multiple intermediaries.