USDC Drives 300% Surge in Crypto Paychecks as Workers Ditch Fiat: 2025 Report

Crypto salaries aren't coming—they're already here. And stablecoins are leading the charge.

USDC adoption for payroll has skyrocketed 3x in just 12 months according to new data, proving even risk-averse employers are finally warming to blockchain payments. Forget 'maybe someday'—the future of work compensation is being written in smart contracts today.

Workers want faster settlements. Employers crave borderless efficiency. The solution? A little green circle called USDC that doesn't care about banking hours or SWIFT delays.

Traditional finance response: 'But volatility!' (Spoiler: That's why stablecoins exist.)

Stablecoins Become Standard for Crypto Wages, USDC in Front

Among those receiving crypto compensation, USDC was the dominant choice.

The dollar-pegged stablecoin accounted for 63% of all crypto salaries, far outpacing USDT, which held a 28.6% share. Other tokens like Solana and ethereum made up a smaller slice, with 1.9% and 1.3%, respectively.

Our mission is to support the long-term success of both our portfolio companies and the broader crypto ecosystem.

One major gap we’ve consistently seen? Reliable, transparent compensation data for crypto teams.

That’s why we created our annual Crypto Compensation Survey – a…

Pantera’s survey covers blockchain engineers, product managers, legal and operations staff across the industry. The results suggest that stablecoins are no longer limited to trading pairs or DeFi use cases, but are also becoming a practical tool for payroll and international payments.

USDC Adoption in Payroll Strengthened by Monthly Reserve Disclosures

Crypto compensation offers several advantages, especially for globally distributed teams. Stablecoins enable faster settlement times, lower transaction fees and easier access to US dollar value in regions with banking restrictions or currency instability.

The findings also point to growing confidence in USDC’s reputation for regulatory compliance and transparency, particularly after Circle, its issuer, began publishing detailed monthly reserve reports and secured access to US Treasuries.

More Workers Opt to Split Salaries Between Cash and Crypto

While full salary payments in crypto remain uncommon, hybrid arrangements are gaining traction. Many firms now allow employees to split their compensation between fiat and digital assets, giving workers the option to dollar-cost average into crypto markets or spend directly using Web3 wallets.

Pantera’s report did not disclose regional trends, but the surge in crypto salaries is likely driven in part by Asia-based teams and contractors who rely on stablecoins for cost-effective cross-border payments.

The rise of on-chain compensation also comes as more crypto-native companies formalize operations. With better treasury management tools, real-time payroll rails and accounting platforms tailored for digital assets, the logistical barriers to paying in crypto are beginning to fall.