Five coins you’ll come across most often, and how well each one works for payments.
Tether
USDTStable
A stablecoin designed to stay at about 1 US dollar. It behaves like a digital dollar, so the amount you hold barely changes in value from day to day, which is exactly what you want when paying or withdrawing.
- Networks
- TRC-20 (Tron) is the most widely accepted for payments. BEP-20 and Solana are also cheap. ERC-20 (Ethereum) works everywhere but can be expensive.
- Fees
- Usually around $1 or less per transfer on TRC-20, BEP-20 or Solana.
Best choice for payments. Stable value, low fees, widely accepted.
Honest note: USDT is issued by a private company (Tether), not a bank, and publishes attestations rather than full audits. It has briefly traded below $1 in the past (around $0.95 in May 2022). Low risk for short-term payments, but not zero.
USD Coin
USDCStable
Another dollar stablecoin, issued by Circle. It works just like USDT and holds roughly the same value.
- Networks
- Ethereum, Solana, BNB Smart Chain and several other networks.
- Fees
- Low on Solana and BNB Smart Chain; higher on Ethereum.
Good alternative where it’s accepted, but fewer casinos and P2P markets in Latin America support it than USDT.
Bitcoin
BTCVolatile
The original and best-known cryptocurrency, often called “digital gold”. Widely accepted, but its price in dollars can move a lot.
- Networks
- Bitcoin network only. A confirmation takes roughly 10 minutes.
- Fees
- Varies with demand: often under a dollar, sometimes more.
Usable but not ideal. Slower, and the value can change between buying and paying.
Ethereum
ETHVolatile
The coin of the leading programmable blockchain. Widely accepted and volatile like Bitcoin.
- Networks
- Ethereum network. Transfers confirm within minutes.
- Fees
- “Gas” fees vary and can be high when the network is busy.
Works, but often costly. Higher fees and price swings compared with stablecoins.
Solana
SOLVolatile
The coin of a very fast, very cheap blockchain. USDT and USDC also run on Solana.
- Networks
- Solana network. Transfers settle in about a second.
- Fees
- A tiny fraction of a cent.
Great as a rail, not for holding. Moving USDT on Solana is cheap; holding SOL itself means price risk.
