|
USDT, also known as Tether, is a type of cryptocurrency. Its value is pegged to the US dollar, with each USDT being equivalent to one US dollar. This is why it's often referred to as a stablecoin.
The goal of USDT is to provide a stable value anchor for the cryptocurrency market, allowing users to easily exchange between different cryptocurrencies or between digital and fiat currencies.
The issuance of USDT is controlled by the Tether company, which is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based iFinex company. iFinex also owns the Bitfinex cryptocurrency exchange.
According to data from the CoinMarketCap website, as of July 4, 2022, the total supply of USDT is 66,081,540,012.39 tokens, with a total market capitalization of $66,081,540,012.39, ranking it third among all cryptocurrencies, only behind Bitcoin and Ethereum. USDT's 24-hour trading volume is $72,038,000,000.00, making it the top-traded cryptocurrency. USDT is traded on over 400 exchanges and platforms worldwide, supporting more than 10 different blockchain protocols.
2. Background and Development of USDT
In 2014, when cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin had gained widespread attention, they also faced various issues, including:
To address these issues, the Tether company introduced USDT, a stablecoin aimed at combining the advantages of blockchain technology, such as decentralization, peer-to-peer functionality, low costs, and efficiency, with features like stability in price, linkage to fiat currencies, and providing channels for fiat currency exchanges to meet market demand.
3. Technical Architecture and Operation Mechanism of USDT
USDT was initially issued on the Bitcoin blockchain using the Omni Layer protocol. The Omni Layer protocol is a second-layer protocol that enables smart contract functionality on the Bitcoin blockchain and allows the creation of new tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain. Tether used the Omni Layer protocol to convert US dollars and other fiat currencies into digital currency. For every USDT issued, one US dollar is held in reserve in the company's bank account. |
|