Answers · Head to head
USDC or USDT — which stablecoin is better, and what is the difference?
Short answer
USDT is larger ($183.4B); USDC has $72.7B in circulation. In the EU, USDC is an authorised e-money token under MiCA; USDT is not authorised and has been delisted for EU users by regulated exchanges. Both can be bought on a DEX without KYC; redeeming with the issuer needs KYC.
USDT (Tether) is the largest stablecoin and dominates trading outside the US; USDC (Circle) is the second-largest and the one authorised as an e-money token under MiCA in the EU. Both hold cash and US Treasuries as reserves. The table shows the rest.
Figures from our live dataset · data as of 2026-10-11 · not investment advice
Side by side
| USDT | USDC | |
|---|---|---|
| Liquidity | Traded on public markets — venues not verified | Traded on public markets — venues not verified |
| KYC to mint with the issuer | KYC required | KYC required |
| KYC to buy on a market | No KYC | No KYC |
| KYC to redeem | KYC required | KYC required |
| Assets under management | $183,360,958,165 circulating | $72,656,933,418 circulating |
| Jurisdiction | United States | United States |
| How to buy | On any exchange (KYC there) or on a DEX with a self-custody wallet (no KYC). Minting and redeeming directly with Tether needs a verified account and is aimed at large amounts. | On any exchange (KYC there) or on a DEX with a self-custody wallet (no KYC). Minting and redeeming 1:1 runs through Circle Mint, which is open to approved institutions only. |
More questions
Which is the largest?
By size, USDT at $183.4B, followed by USDC at $72.7B. Size is not safety, but a larger product usually means a deeper market to sell into.