Stablecoins, despite their name, are experiencing a period of flux. The first phase was about issuance and liquidity, but now the battle is over something else — the infrastructure that will become the equivalent of Visa and Mastercard for this market. What does this mean for those who pay with USDT for international services? Let's dive in.

From Issuance to Infrastructure

This week's headlines about stablecoins increasingly focus not on new coins but on payment networks and rails. The market has realized: simply issuing a stablecoin is not enough; it needs to be convenient to use. It's like with credit cards — what matters is not the card itself but the network that accepts it.

For users, this means that fees and transaction speed are now in the spotlight. And here the key choice is between TRC-20 and ERC-20 networks.

TRC-20 vs ERC-20: Which to Choose?

  • TRC-20 (Tron): low fees (usually $0.5–1.5), high speed (seconds), ideal for frequent USDT transfers. That's why VirtCardPay and many other services prefer this network for stablecoin operations.
  • ERC-20 (Ethereum): reliability and ecosystem, but fees can reach $5–20 depending on network congestion. Speed is lower — up to several minutes.

For paying subscriptions or topping up a virtual card, TRC-20 is almost always more cost-effective. If you are transferring large amounts and are not in a hurry, ERC-20 might be considered, but for everyday payments it is impractical.

What's Next?

The infrastructure race will lead to new services competing for users' wallets. We already see attempts to create universal payment layers that combine different stablecoins and networks. This will simplify life, but for now it's important to keep an eye on fees and choose the optimal route.

Practical tip: always check which network you are sending USDT on and verify the fee. For most virtual card operations, TRC-20 remains the gold standard.

The cryptocurrency market is volatile, and the information in this article is not financial advice. Always conduct your own analysis.

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Sources

This material is for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. Data and service terms may change, so check primary sources before making a payment or investment decision. Mentions of third-party brands and services do not imply official partnership, support, or endorsement by VirtCardPay.
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