Stability amid the volatility of crypto: Stablecoins explained

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Amid crypto volatility, stablecoins target the flatline.

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A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency that aims to maintain price stability by pegging its monetary value to a given fiat currency, typically on a one-to-one basis.

What this means is that a stablecoin pegged to, say, the U.S. dollar on a one-to-one basis should always be equal to $1. That’s the goal, at least.

In the crypto economy, where transactions occur on a decentralized blockchain, digitized fiat cash—which is not a decentralized asset—may not be recognizable within the network. You need a cryptocurrency to facilitate transactions, but one that has the price stability of cash.

In short, you need a crypto coin with “stable” monetary value. Hence the need for stablecoins.

Stablecoins are evolving. Nevertheless, there are two widely adopted stablecoin use cases:

A stablecoin may have similar characteristics to cash, but it’s not the same thing. You can convert cash to stablecoin and stablecoin to cash, but you can’t use a stablecoin to perform the function of cash.

This can get a little tricky, but it helps to consider the similarities and differences.

Stablecoin values are pegged to the value of a given currency. In most cases, a stablecoin fixes its rate on a one-to-one basis. For example, in the U.S., one unit of a dollar-pegged stablecoin may be equal to $1.

Stablecoins aim to maintain their pegged rates using different means. Stablecoins can be backed by cash, cash equivalents, commodity values, or the value of other financial instruments to maintain their peg. Some even use complex algorithmic programs to maintain the peg by controlling supply, although this doesn’t always work.

A stablecoin aims to maintain the same price in a given currency. Other cryptocurrencies may fluctuate in value relative to, say, the U.S. dollar. In contrast, the price of a stablecoin should not change relative to the currency to which it’s pegged. A stablecoin worth $1 aims to maintain the price of $1; nothing more, nothing less.

But as we’ll see, this peg isn’t always consistent. And that’s part of the reason stablecoins are not the same as cash.

Stablecoins are neither issued nor regulated by a central bank or government. This means stablecoins are privately issued cryptocurrency.

Stablecoins are not recognized as “legal tender” in most countries. Even if a stablecoin’s monetary value is pegged to a given currency, it may not be recognized as a legitimate form of payment by government or commercial entities.

Not all stablecoins are backed by the currency to which they are pegged. This can be a big deal. Case in point: TerraUSD (UST), which aimed to maintain a one-to-one peg to the U.S. dollar, had no dollar backing. Instead, it relied on an algorithmic formula and another crypto, Terra (LUNA), which would algorithmically alter its available supply (“mint and burn”) to theoretically keep UST pegged at $1.

It worked until it didn’t. UST crashed in May 2022 to a price less than one U.S. penny.

Tether (USDT) is the world’s first stablecoin, the largest in terms of market capitalization, and the most transacted stablecoin in the market. Pegged to the U.S. dollar on a one-to-one basis, Tether claims its coin is backed 100% by a diverse mix of assets, most of which can be viewed on its website.

USD Coin (USDC) is the second largest stablecoin by market cap. Pegged to the U.S. dollar one-to-one, USDC claims to be backed by U.S. dollar assets held in U.S.-regulated financial institutions.

Binance USD (BUSD) is the third largest stablecoin by market cap and is pegged to the dollar on a one-to-one basis. According to its partner developers, Binance and Paxos, BUSD is 100% backed by an “equal amount” of U.S. dollars and treasury bills.

Dai (DAI) is the fourth largest stablecoin by market cap and is pegged to the U.S. dollar on a one-to-one basis. Unlike the three stablecoins mentioned above, DAI is not backed by U.S. dollars but by a combination of various crypto assets.

True USD (TUSD) is the fifth largest stablecoin by market cap. Its parent company, TrustToken, bills TUSD as the “first regulated stablecoin fully backed by the U.S. dollar.”

Stablecoins play an important role in the crypto economy. They seek to provide fiat value and price stability in a blockchain environment where digitized (yet non-decentralized) cash may not be recognized. Although all stablecoins aim to maintain a pegged ratio to a given fiat currency, the assets they hold as collateral may determine the stability of their respective pegs.