Dai vs Usual USD — side-by-side comparison of supply, chains, backing, and peg data.
| Metric | DAI | USD0 |
|---|---|---|
| USD circulation value | $4.80B | $552.9M |
| Rank (by USD value) | #4 | #20 |
| Peg | USD | USD |
| Mechanism | crypto-backed | fiat-backed |
| Backing | Overcollateralized crypto CDP | Tokenized US Treasuries (Usual) |
| Chains deployed | 49 | 2 |
| Primary chain | Ethereum | Ethereum |
| Issuer | Dai | Usual USD |
| CoinGecko | View → | View → |
Both DAI and USD0 track USD, but they differ in backing and issuer. DAI is backed by overcollateralized crypto cdp while USD0 is backed by tokenized us treasuries (usual). As of today, DAI ranks #4 and USD0 ranks #20 among tracked stablecoins.
DAI is larger, with $4.80B in circulation vs $552.9M for USD0. That's roughly 8.7× the size.
Neither DAI nor USD0 is inherently "safer" — safety depends on the specific backing composition, issuer transparency, redemption rights, and regulatory oversight. DAI uses crypto-backed backing model; USD0 uses fiat-backed. Users should read each issuer's most recent reserve attestation before choosing.
Yes. DAI and USD0 both trade on major centralized and decentralized exchanges. Since both track USD, the exchange rate is typically very close to 1:1. Direct swap protocols on Ethereum, Solana, and other chains offer the tightest spreads.
The right choice depends on your use case. Consider: which chain do you need? DAI is available on 49 chains and USD0 on 2. What backing do you prefer? What's your integration surface (exchanges, DeFi protocols, payment providers)? Both have deep liquidity, so market cap alone shouldn't decide it.