USDTvsU
Tether vs United Stables — side-by-side comparison of supply, chains, backing, and peg data.
Side-by-side
USDT — Tether
U — United Stables
30-day peg stability dotted line = target · both charts share one scale
What the last 30 days show
Over the last 30 days USDT supply moved -0.6% and U +17.4% — U grew faster. U held the tighter band: worst deviation 9 bps against 14 bps.
Key differences
- USDT is roughly 151.4× larger than U by USD circulation value ($183.08B vs $1.21B).
- USDT ranks #1 while U ranks #15 among all tracked stablecoins.
- Both are pegged to the same currency (USD), so they compete directly for the same use cases.
- USDT is a fiat-backed stablecoin; U is crypto-backed. Different mechanism, different failure modes.
- Reserves differ — USDT holds cash & t-bills, U holds stablecoin basket.
- USDT is deployed on 130 chains — much broader coverage than U's 3.
- Primary chain differs — most USDT supply lives on Tron, while most U supply is on BSC.
Full comparison table
| Metric | USDT | U |
|---|---|---|
| USD circulation value | $183.08B | $1.21B |
| Rank (by USD value) | #1 | #15 |
| Peg | USD | USD |
| Mechanism | fiat-backed | crypto-backed |
| Backing | Cash & T-bills | Stablecoin basket |
| Chains deployed | 130 | 3 |
| Primary chain | Tron | BSC |
| Issuer | Tether Limited | — |
| CoinGecko | View → | View → |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between USDT and U?
Both track USD, so they compete for the same use cases. USDT holds cash & t-bills; U holds stablecoin basket. USDT ranks #1 by USD value and U ranks #15.
Which is bigger, USDT or U?
USDT is larger, with $183.08B in circulation vs $1.21B for U. That's roughly 151.4× the size.
Is USDT safer than U?
Neither is inherently safer. Safety turns on reserve composition, issuer transparency, redemption rights and regulatory oversight — none of which this page audits. USDT uses a fiat-backed model; U uses a crypto-backed one. Read each issuer's most recent reserve attestation before choosing.
Can I convert between USDT and U?
Yes. USDT and U 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.
Should I choose USDT or U?
The right choice depends on your use case. Consider: which chain do you need? USDT is available on 130 chains and U on 3. 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.