USDC Fuels 3x Increase in Digital currency Payrolls in Last Year

As crypto asset becomes more widely used and its fundamental capacity to enable easier, cross-border transactions evolves, there has been a significant increase in crypto payroll activity over the previous year.

Per Pantera Capital’s 2024 Distributed record Compensation Survey, released on 5 August 2025, over threefold the number of individuals received remuneration in cryptocurrency compared to the last year.

Furthermore, the survey pointed out that USDC emerged as the leading digital currency for payroll needs, comprising 63% of all salaries disbursed in digital currencies, far exceeding USDT’s 38.6% share.

Tokens such as Solana and ETH lagged behind at just 1.9% and 1.3%, respectively.

The survey noted that in 2023, merely 3% of participants were compensated partially in crypto. By 2024, this figure surged to 9.6%.

The number of crypto professionals compensated in digital currencies surged to 9.6% in 2024, now receiving salaries in crypto.

Circle’s $USDC dominates the crypto payroll crypto market with 63%, according to Pantera Capital. #CryptoSalaries #USDC #web3jobs pic.twitter.com/IICCXRf0tU

— @LanCentralCoin – Daily (@CentralNewsYT) August 7, 2025

Companies built on blockchain and DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) particularly drove this trend by increasingly choosing to compensate their employees or contributors with stablecoins and tokens.

At the same time, the proportion of workers receiving all their remuneration in fiat currency decreased from 97% to 89.1%. This transition indicates a growing willingness among organizations to integrate digital currencies into their standard payroll processes, especially for positions that entail cross-border responsibilities or function within decentralized systems.

The survey accounts for distributed database engineers, product managers, legal professionals, and operational personnel across the industry, emphasizing the evolution of stablecoins from their conventional roles in trading and Decentralized finance to becoming viable tools for payroll and international payments, particularly in blockchain-centric organizations.

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Factors Contributing to USDC’s Prominence in Crypto Payroll Surge

For teams that are globally spread out, the survey indicates that crypto-centric compensation is highly advantageous compared to more traditional systems.

Immediate settlements, lower transaction fees, and uninterrupted access to dollar-linked values in areas facing banking obstacles or currency instability are significant benefits of a crypto-based pay structure.

Additionally, Circle’s dedication to fiscal reliability and its institutional-level stability, evidenced by its initiative to provide detailed reserve disclosures and robust backing via US treasuries, has enhanced trust among its clientele.

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Hybrid Payroll Models Are Gaining Popularity

Even though crypto is rising in prominence, complete crypto salary payments remain nascent. Instead, employees are gravitating towards hybrid models that allow them to collect part of their salary in fiat and the remainder in digital form.

This flexibility enables workers to dollar-cost average into the crypto market and effortlessly transact via a Web3 wallet.

While Pantera Capital’s report did not reveal any regional trends, it’s likely that teams and contractors based in Asia are driving the increase in crypto-based salaries by leveraging stablecoins for affordable, cross-border transactions.

This transition aligns with the maturation of crypto-native businesses, which are now solidifying their operations. Enhancements in treasury management tools, real-time payroll solutions, and accounting systems are instrumental in lowering the logistical challenges associated with crypto payments.

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The article USDC Drives 3x Surge in Crypto Payrolls Over Past Year was first published on 99Bitcoins.