USDC widens stablecoin volume lead over Tether in H1 2026, Visa data shows
Visa data shows USDC's adjusted transaction volume surpassed Tether's in H1 2026, with June hitting a record $1.79 trillion as institutional adoption of stablecoins accelerates.
Circle's USDC stablecoin has widened its lead over Tether's USDT in transaction volume during the first half of 2026, according to fresh data from Visa's onchain dashboard. In June alone, adjusted stablecoin activity hit a record $1.79 trillion, up 63% from May and 125% year-over-year, driven by growing institutional use for payments, settlement, and treasury operations.
The data, which filters out bot activity and exchange transfers to reflect real economic activity, shows USDC capturing a larger share of the stablecoin market. This shift comes as banks like Standard Chartered and BNY Mellon expand their use of stablecoins for cross-border payments and settlement. For crypto traders, the trend signals deeper integration of digital dollars into traditional finance, potentially boosting liquidity and reducing counterparty risk in the ecosystem. Traders can monitor these volume shifts on NowPrice's live crypto dashboard to gauge market sentiment and institutional flows.
Looking ahead, the stablecoin landscape may see further competition as regulatory frameworks evolve and more financial institutions issue their own tokens. Key metrics to watch include monthly adjusted volume trends, USDC supply growth, and any regulatory developments from the US or EU that could alter the competitive dynamics. The Visa dashboard will continue to provide transparency into real economic activity onchain.