Stablecoins: A Decade of Evolution in Decentralized Finance

It has been ten years since the first stablecoin, BitUSD, was launched, marking a significant evolution in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Ten years have passed since the introduction of BitUSD, the first stablecoin, marking a significant evolution in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. Today, stablecoins have become indispensable financial instruments in this field, with a total supply now exceeding $156 billion.

BitUSD was introduced on July 21, 2014, on the BitShares blockchain by cryptocurrency pioneers Dan Larimer and Charles Hoskinson, aiming to maintain a stable value pegged to the US dollar at a 1:1 ratio. However, the decoupling event of BitUSD in 2018 revealed the complexities of early stable models.

In contrast, modern stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) rely on substantial fiat reserves and other robust mechanisms to achieve significant stability. Today's stablecoins play a crucial role in the cryptocurrency and DeFi ecosystems, providing liquidity to exchanges, supporting loans, and enabling market participants to maintain investments in digital assets without frequently converting to fiat.

Types of Stablecoins

Stablecoins can be categorized based on their methods of maintaining price stability:

Fiat-Collateralized Stablecoins: These stablecoins are backed by fiat currency (such as the US dollar) held in reserve by a central custodian. For example, Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) are such examples. The issuer holds a fiat reserve equivalent to the issued stablecoins, ensuring that each coin can be redeemed at a 1:1 ratio, which not only stabilizes the coin's value but also enhances user trust.

Crypto-Collateralized Stablecoins: These stablecoins are backed by other cryptocurrencies as collateral, such as MakerDAO's DAI. Users need to lock a certain amount of cryptocurrency (like Ethereum) as collateral. Due to the high volatility of cryptocurrency prices, these stablecoins typically use over-collateralization and employ automatic liquidation mechanisms to maintain their pegged value.

Algorithmic Stablecoins: These stablecoins rely on algorithms to adjust supply based on market demand without requiring actual collateral. For example, FRAX combines algorithmic and partially collateralized mechanisms, while TerraUSD (UST) previously used a minting tax model before its collapse. Their stability largely depends on market confidence and the robustness of the algorithms.

Top five stablecoins ranked by supply (Total supply: $155.1 billion, Source: Artemis)

Stablecoin Models: Collateral and Custody Analysis

Tether (USDT)

Collateral and Custody: Tether is backed by fiat reserves, including cash, cash equivalents, and US Treasury bonds, and is custodied by Cantor Fitzgerald. As of October 26, Tether reported holding $100 billion in US Treasury bonds, over 82,000 Bitcoins (approximately $5.5 billion), and 48 tons of high-quality gold.

Supply and Usage Trends: The supply of USDT is $113.4 billion, which has decreased by 5.73% over the past month. Despite a 5.27% increase in transfer volume, the number of active addresses has decreased by 6.11%, indicating a decline in user activity.

USDC

Collateral and Custody: USDC is fully backed by fiat reserves and managed by BNY Mellon, Customers Bank, and Cross River Bank.

Supply and Usage Trends: The supply of USDC is $33.6 billion, with a decrease of 2.46%, but transfer volume surged by 29.95%. The number of active addresses increased by 23.45%, indicating strong trading demand.

DAI

Collateral and Custody: This over-collateralized stablecoin uses ETH, BTC, private credit, and US Treasury bonds as collateral, custodied by Coinbase Custody, Sygnum Bank, and Wedbush Securities.

Supply and Usage Trends: The supply of DAI is $5 billion. Although the supply decreased by 2.75%, transfer volume grew by 40.52%, and active addresses increased by 45.35%, reflecting rising adoption and trading activity.

USDe

Collateral and Custody: USDe is a synthetic stablecoin that achieves delta neutrality using ETH, ETH LSTs, BTC, and USDT, custodied by Copper, Ceffu, and Cobo.

Supply and Usage Trends: The supply of USDe is $2.7 billion. Although transfer volume slightly decreased, the number of active addresses increased slightly, indicating stability in its usage patterns.

PYUSD (PayPal USD)

Collateral and Custody: PYUSD is issued by PayPal and is fully backed by fiat assets (such as US Treasury bonds, cash, and equivalents), custodied by State Street Bank and Trust Company and Customers Bank.

Supply and Usage Trends: PYUSD is the smallest stablecoin by supply, with a total of $598 million. Its transfer volume increased by 58.75%, and active addresses grew by 153.7