$USDC
**Top USDC Trading Pairs:**
1. **ETH/USDC:** The dominant choice. Combines deep liquidity across exchanges with Ethereum's market significance and higher volatility than BTC, offering frequent trading opportunities. Essential for altcoin gateway trades.
2. **BTC/USDC:** The bedrock pair. Offers maximum stability among majors, deep liquidity, and acts as a core hedge or entry/exit point. Lower volatility suits risk-averse traders.
3. **SOL/USDC:** The leading high-performance chain pair. Attracts significant volume due to Solana's speed/low fees and vibrant ecosystem (DeFi, NFTs, memecoins), offering higher volatility potential.
**Why:** Focus on **liquidity, volume, and market relevance**. ETH & BTC are foundational; SOL represents major altcoin activity. Always check exchange-specific liquidity and fees. Remember, "best" depends on strategy (volatility seeking vs. stability) and risk tolerance. USDC provides a stable quote asset.
**Risk Note:** Crypto trading carries high volatility risk; USDC stability doesn't eliminate pair price risk.