This little-known stablecoin just surged 337%, and it's turning heads in the business world
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USDC's Rise: A 337% Surge That No One Saw Coming
The Catalyst: Europe's MiCA Regulation
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Bitcoin Rebounds as a Payments Leader
Layer-2 Networks Gain Momentum
Businesses Are Holding Their Crypto, Not Cashing Out
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While Bitcoin continues to make headlines with its latest price swings, the real surprise in the crypto world this year hasn't been about volatility, but one that could reshape how businesses and consumers think about cryptocurrency transactions, and leading that shift is a stablecoin , as per a report.According to CoinGate's H1 2025 Crypto Payments Report, USDC saw a 337% jump in usage during the first half of the year, as reported by Benzinga. That surge pushed it into the top five most-used cryptocurrencies for payments, capturing 68% of all crypto payout activity and even overtaking longtime leader Tether (USDT) by June, as per the report.The reason for USDC's rise wasn't hype, but it was because of regulation, according to the report. Europe's new Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework forced payment processors to cut back on USDT support because of compliance concerns, as reported by Benzinga. That gave USDC an opportunity to step up as businesses and consumers migrated to the Circle-issued stablecoin for its regulatory compliance and multi-blockchain availability, according to the report.CoinGate said, 'This regulatory shift didn't just change the rules—it revealed who was truly ready for the institutionalization of crypto,' as reported by Benzinga.ALSO READ: AI stocks in bubble trouble - are Nvidia, Microsoft in danger? Economist says it's worse than the Dot-Com crash of 1999 Meanwhile, Bitcoin made an unexpected comeback, despite predictions that newer coins and faster networks would render it obsolete for everyday use, according to the report. Bitcoin reclaimed its spot as the most-used cryptocurrency for payments in the second quarter, accounting for over 23% of total transaction volume, as reported by Benzinga.Another significant technical development was the massive growth of Layer-2 networks, as reported by Benzinga. Polygon rose 117% in transactions compared to 2024, while newcomer Base, which was launched in February, quickly captured attention with 59% of its transactions involving USDC, as reported by Benzinga.While Arbitrum accounted for more than 9% of total USDC transactions, according to the report. These networks improved transaction speed, reduced costs, and also made crypto payments accessible to a broader range of businesses and consumers who previously found blockchain transactions too expensive or slow, as reported by Benzinga.ALSO READ: Why can't this Wells Fargo banker leave China? The Chenyue Mao case everyone's talking about In the first half of 2025, 40.9% of all crypto payments were settled in digital currency, which is a 14% increase over last year, and a strong signal that businesses are starting to view crypto as more than just a payment rail, they're treating it like an asset worth holding, according to the report.USDC led the way in merchant payouts with a 68% share, followed by Bitcoin at 17%, this suggests that regulatory compliance and price stability are driving business preferences, as per the report.Regulations in Europe made Tether harder to use, so businesses switched to the more compliant USDC.Huge. It saw a 337% jump in payment use in just six months.
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