USDT is issued by Tether, which publishes attestations for the reserves behind the tokens in circulation. In day-to-day use it behaves like a dollar balance that moves on crypto rails: it clears in minutes, works across borders, and does not need a bank in the loop.
The same USDT, different networks
The token is issued on several blockchains — Ethereum (ERC-20), Tron (TRC-20), Solana, TON and others. The dollar value is identical, but the networks are not interchangeable: sending TRC-20 USDT to an ERC-20 address normally means the money is gone. Always match the network shown on the invoice.
Why merchants use it
- Prices stay predictable — nothing moves between checkout and settlement.
- On cheaper networks a transfer costs cents rather than dollars.
- It is the most widely held stablecoin, so most customers already have some.
Because USDT is a token rather than a native coin, the network fee is paid in the chain’s own asset — TRX on Tron, ETH on Ethereum — which is why a wallet can hold USDT and still be unable to send it.