USDT or USDC for online payments: which should you send?

USDT and USDC are both dollar-denominated stablecoins, issued by different companies (Tether and Circle). For paying an invoice the practical question is not which one is “better” but which one the merchant accepts, on which network. This page covers checkout mechanics only; it is not financial advice and says nothing about prices or yields.

The one rule

Send exactly the coin and network the invoice asks for. The two coins are separate assets: USDC sent to a USDT address, or the reverse, is not converted automatically, and recovery is not guaranteed.

What actually differs at checkout

Acceptance. Some merchants list only USDT, some only USDC, many list both. Our listings show the coins each vendor states on its own pages.
Networks. Each coin exists on several networks, and the set is not identical for both. A merchant may take USDT on one network and USDC on another. See which network is which.
Wallet and exchange support. Check that your wallet or the platform you withdraw from supports the coin on the network you need, and what its withdrawal fee is. See network and withdrawal fees.
Processor menus. If the vendor uses a payment processor, the invoice page usually lets you choose the coin and network from a list. Read both before sending.

How to choose

Look at what the invoice offers and pick a coin you already hold or can withdraw cheaply.
Confirm the network is available in your wallet and that you hold enough of that network’s coin for the fee.
Send a small test amount only if the vendor allows additional payments; otherwise follow the how to pay checklist.

Find a vendor

Browse the verified directory, each listing showing the quote and date from the vendor’s own pages. If something went wrong, see payment problems. If a listing is out of date, tell us.