USDC on Stellar
Everything you need to know about USDC on Stellar: cross-border payments, near-zero fees, MoneyGram integration, and how to get started.
< $0.001
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XLM
February 2021
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About USDC on Stellar
Stellar is a blockchain network designed specifically for cross-border payments and financial inclusion. It was created in 2014 by Jed McCaleb (who also co-founded Ripple) with the mission of making money transfers faster, cheaper, and more accessible, especially for unbanked populations.
USDC on Stellar is native, issued by Circle since 2021. The network stands out from most other USDC chains because it's not EVM-compatible and was purpose-built for payments rather than general-purpose smart contracts. Transactions on Stellar settle in 3-5 seconds and cost a fraction of a cent (the base fee is 0.00001 XLM, effectively free).
Stellar's primary use case for USDC is cross-border payments and remittances. MoneyGram, one of the largest remittance companies in the world, integrated with Stellar to enable USDC-based money transfers. The Stellar Development Foundation has partnerships with organizations focused on financial access in developing economies.
The Stellar ecosystem is different from Ethereum-based chains. There's no MetaMask here. Wallets include Lobstr, StellarX, and the Stellar reference wallet. The network has a built-in decentralized exchange (SDEX) where you can trade USDC directly. Anchors are Stellar's equivalent of on/off ramps, connecting the network to local banking systems in different countries.
Stellar uses the Stellar Consensus Protocol (SCP), a unique consensus mechanism that prioritizes safety and decentralization. It's energy-efficient and doesn't require proof-of-work mining. The XLM token is used for transaction fees and as a bridge currency for cross-asset transfers.
If your primary interest is cross-border payments, remittances, or connecting to financial infrastructure in emerging markets, Stellar is a strong choice for USDC. For DeFi or general-purpose crypto activity, you'll want an EVM-compatible chain instead.
Ecosystem
Stellar's ecosystem is payment-focused. MoneyGram's integration allows USDC-to-cash conversions through thousands of physical locations worldwide. The Stellar DEX (SDEX) provides built-in trading without separate DEX protocols. Anchors connect Stellar to local banking systems in various countries, enabling USDC on-ramps and off-ramps in local currencies. Vibrant is a mobile wallet targeting the Argentine market for dollar savings via USDC. The Stellar Development Foundation actively funds projects building payment infrastructure on the network.
Getting started
Download a Stellar wallet like Lobstr (mobile and web), FreighterWallet (browser extension), or use StellarX. You'll need a minimum of 1 XLM to activate your account (a Stellar network requirement) and add a trustline for USDC. You can buy USDC on Stellar through Coinbase and withdraw to your Stellar wallet, or use the Stellar DEX to swap XLM for USDC. Note that Stellar addresses look different from Ethereum addresses and start with the letter G.