USD Coin (USDC): what you need to knowUSD Coin (USDC): what you need to know

USD Coin (USDC) is a stablecoin pegged 1-to-1 to the US dollar. Its value is kept stable by reserves in dollars and highly liquid short-term Treasuries, managed by Circle at regulated financial institutions. USDC is widely used for transfers, payments, DeFi applications and as the 'cash leg' on crypto exchanges.

Whitepaper: https://www.circle.com/fr/legal/mica-usdc-whitepaper

For every USDC in circulation, Circle holds one dollar (or dollar equivalents in highly liquid assets) in reserve. When a user wants to create USDC, they deposit dollars at Circle, which then mints new USDC. On redemption, USDC is burned and dollars are paid back. Independent auditors publish monthly attestations on the composition of the reserves.

• Ticker: USDC

• Category: Stablecoin (fiat-backed)

• Blockchain: Multi-chain (Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, Base e.a.)

• Protocol: Fiat-backed reserve

• Year of launch: 2018

USDC is available on multiple blockchains through separate smart contract implementations: ERC-20 on Ethereum, SPL on Solana, and native deployments on Avalanche, Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism and others. Circle developed the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), which lets USDC move efficiently between supported blockchains without external bridges.

USDC is one of the most widely used stablecoins in DeFi and payments globally. It is integrated by payment providers, banks, fintechs, exchanges and lending protocols. Circle is also building solutions for merchants and business payments, and USDC plays a central role in tokenisation and treasury applications for companies and institutions.

USDC was launched in 2018 by Centre, a consortium founded by Circle and Coinbase. Today USDC is fully managed by Circle, a US-registered, publicly listed company. Circle is led by co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire and is subject to US regulation for money transmitters and financial institutions.

BTC Direct has been the European entry point to crypto since 2013. We make buying USD Coin straightforward, even if it is your first time:

• Trusted in Europe. BTC Direct is registered with the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) and operates under MiCA, the EU regulation for crypto.

• Familiar payment methods. Pay with iDEAL, Bancontact, Sofort, SEPA bank transfer, credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay. Your USDC is on its way within minutes.

• Your coins, your control. We do not store your USDC. After your purchase, your coins are sent straight to your own wallet address.

• Based in the Netherlands, serving all of Europe. Our experts are based in the Netherlands and answer in your language across the SEPA zone. Need help? We are here.

• Start with a small amount. From just €30. The minimum varies per coin.

Ready to buy your first USDC?

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More questions about USD Coin or BTC Direct? Visit our help center for more answers.

For more technical information about USD Coin, visit the official website.

Cryptocurrencies, including USD Coin (USDC), are volatile and carry risks. The value of USDC can fluctuate greatly and investments can lead to financial losses. Always do your own research and only invest money that you are willing to lose.

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