* Stablecoin: A type of cryptocurrency designed to have a stable value, unlike the price fluctuations often seen with other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum.

* Fiat-backed: Its value is tied to a traditional fiat currency, in this case, the U.S. dollar.

* Issued by Circle: $USDC was initially launched by the Centre Consortium, a partnership between Circle and Coinbase. However, Circle is now the sole responsible entity for USDC.

* ERC-20 Token: Primarily operates on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC-20 token but is also available on several other blockchains like Solana, Avalanche, TRON, and more.