What is USDT (Tether)?
The world's largest stablecoin by market cap, pegged 1:1 to the US dollar.
USDT (Tether) is a stablecoin — a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value of $1.00 USD. It is the most widely traded stablecoin in the world, with a market cap exceeding $100 billion. USDT is available on multiple blockchains including Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, BNB Chain, Arbitrum, and Optimism.
How USDT Works
Tether Limited, the company behind USDT, claims to hold reserves equal to the total supply of USDT in circulation. Each USDT token represents one US dollar held in reserve. When businesses accept USDT payments, they receive a dollar-equivalent value without exposure to crypto volatility.
USDT for Business Payments
For merchants, USDT is the most liquid stablecoin — meaning customers are most likely to already hold it. Zateway supports USDT on all 6 chains (Polygon, Solana, Base, BSC, Arbitrum, Optimism) with instant settlement directly to your wallet.
USDT vs USDC
While both maintain a $1 peg, USDC (by Circle) is generally considered more transparent with regular attestations. USDT has higher trading volume and liquidity. Many merchants accept both via Zateway to maximize customer coverage.