Both are digital dollars. In Nigeria they do not always sell for the same naira. Below are today's Yesa payout rates for each, side by side, and the practical differences that matter when you are choosing what to be paid in or what to hold.
The two rates are usually within a few naira of each other. Open either rate page for today's figure.
Yesa payout rates. This is what you receive when you sell.
| USDT (Tether) | USDC (Circle) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | About $183 billion in circulation in September 2026, the largest stablecoin | About $74 billion, the second largest |
| Reserve reporting | Quarterly attestations by an accounting firm | Monthly attestations; reserves held mainly in a government money market fund and bank deposits |
| Regulation in Europe | Has not sought a licence under the EU's crypto rules; European exchanges removed it for EU residents | Licensed in France as electronic money, and the first large issuer to comply with the EU's crypto rules |
| Where you meet it | What Nigerian P2P markets price in and what most Nigerians hold; most common on TRON (TRC-20) | What payroll and freelance platforms pay in; common on Base, Solana, Polygon and Arbitrum |
| Cheapest networks | TRON, BNB Smart Chain | Solana, Base, Arbitrum, Polygon |
You will usually be offered USDC. Take it on a cheap network and sell it directly. There is no need to convert to USDT first; that is an extra swap and an extra fee.
USDT is what most people expect and what most local markets price in.
Sell whichever you hold. The difference between the two payout rates is usually smaller than the cost of swapping one into the other.
How to sell each one: sell USDT for naira and sell USDC for naira. For USDC networks see USDC to naira by network.
They are usually within a few naira of each other, and which one is ahead changes from day to day. Today's Yesa payout rates for both are at the top of this page. The gap is usually smaller than the cost of swapping one into the other, so sell whichever you hold.
Both are backed by reserves and both aim to hold one dollar; each has briefly slipped below it in the past. They differ in how they report: Circle publishes monthly attestations and is licensed under the EU's crypto rules, while Tether publishes quarterly attestations and has not sought that licence. Neither is risk free, and this is not financial advice.
No need. Yesa buys both directly at the payout rates shown. Converting first adds a swap fee and a second transfer.
USDT arrived first, is cheap to move on TRON, and became what local P2P markets price in. USDC is more common where the money comes from abroad, such as payroll and freelance platforms.
Across 1,700 measured bank payouts on Yesa, the median payout time was 4.7 seconds. These are historical measurements, not guarantees. The on-chain part, your crypto reaching Yesa, comes first and depends on the network you send on.
Yes. Buying, holding and selling cryptocurrency is legal for individuals in Nigeria. Digital assets are recognised under the Investments and Securities Act 2025, and the Securities and Exchange Commission regulates digital asset services. Crypto is not legal tender, and profits from trading may be taxable, so keep your own records of what you buy and sell. This is general information rather than legal or tax advice; the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria publish the current position.
The Yesa Team. Details checked 20 September 2026. Information about other products comes from their own help pages and documentation; if you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it.