Both stablecoins are pegged to the dollar, but they're not identical. We compare fees, speed, trust, and which is best for music promotion purchases.
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Pay with CryptoIf you're paying for music promotion with crypto, stablecoins are almost always your best bet. They give you the speed and privacy of cryptocurrency without the price volatility of Bitcoin or Ethereum. But there are two dominant stablecoins — USDT (Tether) and USDC (USD Coin) — and artists regularly ask which one they should use. Here's an honest, detailed comparison to help you decide.
A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to maintain a fixed value — in this case, $1 USD per token. While Bitcoin might swing 5-10% in a single day, 1 USDT and 1 USDC are each worth exactly (or very close to) one US dollar at all times.
This stability matters when you're making a purchase. If you buy $50 worth of Bitcoin to pay for a promotion package, by the time your transaction confirms, that Bitcoin might be worth $47 or $53. With stablecoins, $50 stays $50. You know exactly what you're spending, and the merchant receives exactly what you intended to send.
Stablecoins maintain their peg by holding reserves — actual dollars (or dollar-equivalent assets) backing every token in circulation. The key difference between USDT and USDC is who manages those reserves and how transparent they are about it.
Tether (USDT) is the oldest and largest stablecoin by market capitalization, consistently holding over $100 billion in circulation. It's issued by Tether Limited, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands.
Key strengths of USDT:
Concerns about USDT: Tether has faced scrutiny over the years regarding the composition of its reserves. While Tether publishes quarterly attestations from accounting firms, critics argue that their reserve breakdown (which includes commercial paper, secured loans, and other assets alongside cash) is less transparent than competitors. That said, USDT has maintained its $1 peg through multiple market crashes and processes billions in daily transactions without issue.
USD Coin (USDC) is issued by Circle, a US-based financial technology company. It launched in 2018 and has grown to become the second-largest stablecoin, with a market cap typically ranging between $25-40 billion.
Key strengths of USDC:
Concerns about USDC: USDC's regulatory compliance is a double-edged sword. Circle has frozen USDC in wallets when directed by law enforcement, which some crypto users see as contradicting the decentralization ethos. USDC is also less widely available on some international exchanges, particularly those that cater to markets outside the US.
Here's how the two stack up across the factors that matter most for making payments:
For paying for Spotify promotion on StreamingFamous, either stablecoin works perfectly. We accept both USDT and USDC. Your order will process the same way regardless of which you choose.
That said, here's a practical recommendation based on your situation:
Whichever stablecoin you choose, the network you send on matters more than the stablecoin itself when it comes to fees and speed. Sending USDT on Ethereum mainnet costs $3-15 in gas. Sending the same USDT on Tron costs under $1. Same token, same value, vastly different cost.
When you check out on StreamingFamous, make sure to select the same network that your wallet is using. Sending USDT on Tron to an Ethereum address (or vice versa) will result in lost funds. Always match the network — this is the single most important thing to get right.
Both USDT and USDC are reliable, widely accepted, and practically equivalent for making purchases. USDT has a slight edge in global availability and low-cost networks. USDC has a slight edge in regulatory transparency. For music promotion payments, the difference is negligible — pick whichever you already have or can get most easily.
New to stablecoins entirely? Read our guide on how to buy USDT as a beginner for a complete step-by-step walkthrough. And when you're ready to pay, visit our crypto payment page to see all accepted methods and start your order.