[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"article-stablecoins-what-are-they-for-en":3,"article-related-stablecoins-what-are-they-for-en":34,"series-blockchain-5c30c398-1d42-432f-9f8c-e887dac30a77":86},{"id":4,"slug":5,"title":6,"content":7,"summary":8,"source":9,"source_url":10,"author":11,"image_url":12,"cover_image":12,"category":13,"language":14,"translated_content":11,"related_article_id":15,"keywords":16,"key_takeaways":26,"views":30,"created_at":31,"published_at":32,"topic_cluster_id":33},"5c30c398-1d42-432f-9f8c-e887dac30a77","stablecoins-what-are-they-for-en","Stablecoins: What Are They For?","\u003Cp data-speakable=\"summary\">\u003Ca href=\"\u002Ftag\u002Fstablecoins\">Stablecoins\u003C\u002Fa> are the steady-value crypto option for payments, saving, borrowing, and \u003Ca href=\"\u002Ftag\u002Fdefi\">DeFi\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to hold a fixed value, and this article compares the main ways to use them so you can decide what fits your goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>At a glance\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Ctable>\u003Cthead>\u003Ctr>\u003Cth>Dimension\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>USDS\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>USDC\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>GHO\u003C\u002Fth>\u003Cth>Glo Dollar\u003C\u002Fth>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Fthead>\u003Ctbody>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Market cap\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>$10,348,974,420\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>$76,720,324,153\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>$583,396,595\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>$2,086,602\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Backing model\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Crypto-backed\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Fiat-backed\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Hybrid crypto-collateralized\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Fiat-backed with charity donations\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Main strength\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Onchain savings and DeFi control\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Scale and broad acceptance\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Decentralized borrowing and governance\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Public-goods funding at no extra cost\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Best for\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>DeFi users who want self-custody\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>People who want the most familiar dollar peg\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Aave users and DAO-minded users\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Users who want to support causes through usage\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003Ctr>\u003Ctd>Risk profile\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Depends on crypto collateral and protocol design\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Relies on issuer reserves and audits\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Depends on collateral and governance\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003Ctd>Small-cap liquidity and adoption risk\u003C\u002Ftd>\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\u003Ch2>USDS: onchain savings with more control\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>USDS is the successor to Dai, and its pitch is simple: keep dollar-like value while staying fully onchain and fully under user control. That makes it attractive if you want a stable asset for DeFi, but do not want to move into a bank-style product just to hold dollars in crypto form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"my-6\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1779293042354-88e5.png\" alt=\"Stablecoins: What Are They For?\" class=\"rounded-xl w-full\" loading=\"lazy\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>The trade-off is that crypto-backed systems can be more complex than fiat-backed ones. You need to understand how collateral, protocol rules, and market conditions affect stability, especially if you plan to use USDS for lending or savings rather than just holding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>USDC: the mainstream dollar token\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"\u002Ftag\u002Fusdc\">USDC\u003C\u002Fa> is the largest US-regulated fiat-backed stablecoin, with a market cap of $76.7 billion in the source data. If your priority is familiarity, liquidity, and broad support across wallets, exchanges, and dapps, USDC is usually the easiest stablecoin to explain to a newcomer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cfigure class=\"my-6\">\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1779293038384-qcjo.png\" alt=\"Stablecoins: What Are They For?\" class=\"rounded-xl w-full\" loading=\"lazy\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\u003Cp>The downside is trust. Fiat-backed stablecoins depend on an issuer, reserve management, and audits, so you are accepting some centralized risk in exchange for convenience and scale. For many users, that is a fair trade, but it is still a trade.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>GHO: borrowing and governance inside DeFi\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>GHO is built by Aave and uses a hybrid model that mixes crypto-collateral backing with community governance. That makes it interesting for users who already live in DeFi and want a stablecoin tied closely to a lending ecosystem rather than a standalone payments \u003Ca href=\"\u002Ftag\u002Ftoken\">token\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Its smaller size, about $583 million in market cap, means it is not as universally available as USDC. In practice, GHO is best when you value protocol alignment and DeFi-native design more than maximum reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>Glo Dollar: spend stablecoins and fund public goods\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>Glo Dollar is the odd one out in a useful way: it is a stablecoin that routes profits to public goods and charities. The user experience is still a dollar-pegged token, but the social impact angle may matter if you want your crypto activity to do something beyond payments or yield.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Because its market cap is only about $2.1 million, it is the least proven option here in terms of scale and liquidity. That does not make it bad, but it does mean it is better suited to niche use or values-driven users than to people who need the deepest markets.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2>When to pick what\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp>Pick USDS if you want a stablecoin for DeFi and care about keeping control of your funds without leaning on a traditional issuer.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Pick USDC if you want the safest default for most beginners, payments, and wallets that already support the biggest dollar token.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Pick GHO if you already use Aave or want a stablecoin that feels like part of a broader lending and governance system.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Pick Glo Dollar if your main goal is to support public goods or charities while still using a stable dollar token.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>For most readers, USDC is the default pick, unless you specifically want onchain self-custody and DeFi-native design, in which case USDS is the better fit.\u003C\u002Fp>","Stablecoins are the steady-value crypto option for payments, saving, borrowing, and DeFi.","ethereum.org","https:\u002F\u002Fethereum.org\u002Fstablecoins\u002F",null,"https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1779293042354-88e5.png","blockchain","en","e8fced92-c3ce-4c0e-8edf-7b050658c770",[17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25],"stablecoins","USDC","USDS","GHO","Glo Dollar","Ethereum","DeFi","crypto-backed stablecoins","fiat-backed stablecoins",[27,28,29],"Stablecoins are useful when you want crypto rails without ETH-like price swings.","USDC is the broadest mainstream option, while USDS is better for onchain control.","GHO and Glo Dollar make sense for more specific DeFi or values-driven use cases.",4,"2026-05-20T16:03:34.303316+00:00","2026-05-20T16:03:34.272+00:00","42f422b2-60a7-4160-928e-f6d0115a5836",{"tags":35,"relatedLang":45,"relatedPosts":49},[36,38,40,42,43],{"name":18,"slug":37},"usdc",{"name":20,"slug":39},"gho",{"name":21,"slug":41},"glo-dollar",{"name":17,"slug":17},{"name":19,"slug":44},"usds",{"id":15,"slug":46,"title":47,"language":48},"wendingbi-nalailai-zuo-shenme-zh","穩定幣：拿來做什麼？","zh",[50,56,62,68,74,80],{"id":51,"slug":52,"title":53,"cover_image":54,"image_url":54,"created_at":55,"category":13},"1a2a14c4-7362-4210-89a5-79ca37a4cea0","solana-apis-cut-weeks-off-integration-en","7 Solana APIs that cut weeks off integration","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1781019187075-08s8.png","2026-06-09T15:32:31.023243+00:00",{"id":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"cover_image":60,"image_url":60,"created_at":61,"category":13},"88e1c970-3601-43ce-8abc-b486078003cf","solana-unchained-token-sale-nears-phase-1-close-en","Solana Unchained token sale nears Phase 1 close at $0.05","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1781018281455-tzjz.png","2026-06-09T15:17:28.032555+00:00",{"id":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"cover_image":66,"image_url":66,"created_at":67,"category":13},"6161e6db-47fa-41fb-b9e0-1aa6e17b60cc","june-2026-web3-signals-founders-use-now-en","June 2026 Web3 Signals Founders Should Use Now","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1781003882913-m6x0.png","2026-06-09T11:17:28.903396+00:00",{"id":69,"slug":70,"title":71,"cover_image":72,"image_url":72,"created_at":73,"category":13},"ce76720f-84f9-422a-b14b-53330dc556a0","bitcoin-defi-will-grow-but-not-by-copying-ethereum-en","Bitcoin DeFi will grow, but not by copying Ethereum","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1780922879493-ystd.png","2026-06-08T12:47:26.641411+00:00",{"id":75,"slug":76,"title":77,"cover_image":78,"image_url":78,"created_at":79,"category":13},"5c9d8908-4308-4f00-9dc8-33375a11a8b9","ai-blockchain-projects-need-real-utility-not-token-theater-en","AI-blockchain projects need real utility, not token theater","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1780918371471-v5y3.png","2026-06-08T11:32:17.079565+00:00",{"id":81,"slug":82,"title":83,"cover_image":84,"image_url":84,"created_at":85,"category":13},"c6b07d0f-b4d1-410e-86bf-581a3cac649c","dmg-50mw-ai-loi-miners-power-assets-en","DMG’s 50 MW AI LOI is a better use of miners’ power assets","https:\u002F\u002Fxxdpdyhzhpamafnrdkyq.supabase.co\u002Fstorage\u002Fv1\u002Fobject\u002Fpublic\u002Fcovers\u002Finline-1780917479517-y1sf.png","2026-06-08T11:17:29.244514+00:00",[87,92,97,102,107,112,117,122,127,132],{"id":88,"slug":89,"title":90,"created_at":91},"cdf2780b-1da6-4aca-a87b-f0974b815b03","moonpay-open-wallet-standard-ai-payments-en","MoonPay's Open Wallet Standard Targets AI Payments","2026-03-28T03:08:33.547032+00:00",{"id":93,"slug":94,"title":95,"created_at":96},"f06da3a4-3b15-4c7b-a250-6077505f5119","next-gen-crypto-simulators-ai-web3-training-en","Next-Gen Crypto Simulators Are Getting Smarter","2026-04-01T09:36:34.200192+00:00",{"id":98,"slug":99,"title":100,"created_at":101},"0794f597-b908-402a-b660-729034ffdbf6","rtk-cuts-claude-code-token-spend-en","RTK cuts Claude Code token spend fast","2026-04-01T10:24:29.50277+00:00",{"id":103,"slug":104,"title":105,"created_at":106},"5101ffbf-7ea9-4baa-b5e2-64729ff55b20","openclaw-flaw-exposes-ai-admin-hijack-risk-en","Openclaw Flaw Exposes AI Admin Hijack Risk","2026-04-01T13:12:33.481569+00:00",{"id":108,"slug":109,"title":110,"created_at":111},"fadea65e-f7c8-41b0-a186-809d21787b4c","how-web3-marketing-changed-in-2026-en","How Web3 Marketing Changed in 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