Stablecoin USDC Is Making a Comeback: Coinbase (2024)

  • USDC supply has increased by over 14% since the start of December.

  • The increase in liquidity is a sign of fresh capital inflows following the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S.

  • The stablecoin's presence is growing in non-U.S. markets.

Circle's USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, is making a comeback, with liquidity increasing worldwide and usage growing rapidly outside the U.S., leading to a sharp increase in supply in recent months, Coinbase (COIN) said in a research report on Monday.

“The supply of USDC has increased by 14.3% or over $3.5B since December 1, 2023, taking its total market cap to $28B compared to a smaller 8.7% growth for USDT over the same period,” analysts David Duong and Li Liu wrote. USDT is Tether's rival dollar-based stablecoin and is by far the largest, touting a $98 billion market cap.

USDC's increase in liquidity reflects the “overall pickup in both retail and institutional demand as crypto has moved into a new phase of its market cycle after the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S., contributing to fresh capital inflows,” the authors wrote. A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency that’s typically pegged to the U.S. dollar, though some other currencies and assets such as gold are also used.

USDC is also building a larger presence in non-U.S. markets, the report said, noting that the stablecoin has increased its share of spot and derivatives activity fivefold, albeit to only 4% of total centralized exchange volumes (CEX) globally. As well as the spot ETF catalyst, the growth in liquidity was driven by the start of Coinbase's international exchange and the relisting of USDC trading pairs on rival exchange Binance late last year, the report added.

Edited by Sheldon Reback.

Stablecoin USDC Is Making a Comeback: Coinbase (2024)

FAQs

Stablecoin USDC Is Making a Comeback: Coinbase? ›

Circle's USDC, the second-largest stablecoin by market cap, is making a comeback, with liquidity increasing worldwide and usage growing rapidly outside the U.S., leading to a sharp increase in supply in recent months, Coinbase (COIN) said in a research report on Monday.

Will USDC go back to $1 dollar? ›

USDC is a digital dollar backed 100% by highly liquid cash and cash-equivalent assets and is always redeemable 1:1 for US dollars.

Is it safe to hold USDC on Coinbase? ›

Coinbase has no right to use any USDC that you hold at Coinbase. Coinbase is not a depository institution, and your USDC balance is not a deposit account. Your USDC balance is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).

Is USDC backed by Coinbase? ›

USDC is 100% backed by cash and short-dated U.S. Treasuries held in regulated U.S. financial institutions. Trusted transparency: Reduce risk.

Will USDC coin go up? ›

Daily USDC (USDC) Price Prediction For Today, Tomorrow, this Week, and Next 30 Days. Based on your price prediction input for USDC, there is a projected increase in the value of USDC by 5%, potentially reaching $ 0.999951 by tomorrow.

Which crypto will explode in 2024? ›

Cryptocurrency Analyst

It's about identifying the hidden gems among hundreds. This article will introduce five top cryptocurrencies that are tipped to explode in 2024: Pikamoon, Solana, The Graph, Sei, and Cosmos.

Is it worth holding USDC? ›

Is USD Coin a good investment? As a stablecoin, USD Coin isn't designed as an investment. If it works the way it's supposed to work, any USD Coin you buy will be worth the same amount in one year, five years, and so on. Even though it's not an investment, USD Coin is an option for a passive income stream.

Why can't i cash out USDC on Coinbase? ›

When you use a linked bank account (ACH) to buy crypto or add cash to your account balance, the funds are placed on hold and won't be immediately available to send or cash out. Think of this like depositing a check to your bank account and having to wait for it to clear before you can remove the funds.

Does Coinbase report USDC to IRS? ›

Coinbase reports relevant tax-related information to the IRS to comply with regulations. Specifically, it submits Forms 1099-MISC to the IRS for US traders who earned more than $600 in crypto rewards or staking during a given year.

Is it better to hold USDT or USDC? ›

The choice between USDT and USDC comes down to your individual preferences and what aspects you value more. If you prefer a more widely adopted coin, USDT is the better option. If you prefer a more transparent and better-regulated coin, USDC is the better option.

Does Coinbase pay interest on USDC? ›

Coinbase customers looking for a low-risk investment can start earning 4.00% APY via USDC. Crypto deposits aren't insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or SIPC.

How much is 1 USDC worth? ›

The current value of 1 USDC is $1.00 USD. In other words, to buy 5 USDC, it would cost you $5.00 USD. Inversely, $1.00 USD would allow you to trade for 1.00 USDC while $50.00 USD would convert to 50.00 USDC, not including platform or gas fees.

Can I sell USDC on Coinbase? ›

Note: Cashing out is currently only supported for USDC. We'll add support for other assets in the future. US customers can sell crypto from their wallet to their local currency balance on Coinbase, or cash out crypto from their wallet to their linked bank account on Coinbase.

Will USDC always be $1? ›

The purpose of USDC is to maintain a stable value, in this case, it is pegged to the U.S. dollar, meaning one USDC is designed to always equal one U.S. dollar. This stability is a key trait that separates stablecoins like USDC from other cryptocurrencies, which are often subject to significant price volatility.

Why would anyone invest in USDC? ›

Hedge against volatility: Investors exposed to other cryptocurrencies can reduce their portfolios' volatility by strategically buying a stablecoin like USDC. Owning USDC during periods of significant market volatility can help to stabilize a portfolio's value.

Is USDC backed by USD 1 to 1? ›

USDC (also referred to as USD Coin) is a crypto asset that has its value pegged to the US Dollar on a 1:1 basis. This means that 1 USDC will always exchange for 1 USD. Crypto assets that are backed in this way by a fiat currency like the US Dollar, Euro etc are referred to as stablecoins.

Can USDC gain value? ›

The value of USDC is designed to remain stable, making USDC a stablecoin. Stablecoins are commonly backed by reserve assets like dollars or euros to achieve price stability.

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