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Crypto Almanac Daily
G
Stablecoins

Global Dollar (USDG)

Best for collateralised issuance at scale

Circulating:$3,417m at this checkPeg mechanism:fiat-backedPeg type:peggedUSDChains:6Recorded price:0.9997 (0.03% from peg)Rubric:v2.0 · verified 9 Aug 2026
Kayla PetersonKayla PetersonDeFi Research Analyst· Last verified August 9, 2026
Confidence ARubric v2.0Verified August 9, 2026
9.1
out of 10
Open account
Scorecard

How it rates

Counterparty & backing risk · 45%10.0
Cost transparency · 5%10.0
Market quality · 15%4.0
Transparency & track record · 30%10.0
Public documentation surface · 5%10.0
Pros
  • $3,417m circulating, recorded independently
  • Collateralised model (fiat-backed)
  • Issued across 6 chains
Cons
  • Reserve attestations are not scored in this category
How this score was built

Each indicator scores 2, 1 or 0. A pillar is the points earned over the points available; the overall score is the weighted sum. Every source below is public — check any of them yourself.

Counterparty & backing risk · 45% weight10/10 points · 10.0/10
Cost transparency · 5% weight10/10 points · 10.0/10
Market quality · 15% weight4/10 points · 4.0/10
Transparency & track record · 30% weight10/10 points · 10.0/10
Public documentation surface · 5% weight10/10 points · 10.0/10

A consortium-issued fiat-backed stablecoin with $3.42bn circulating across six chains, sharing reserve income with participating platforms.

Our assessment

USDG has $3.42bn circulating across six chains and traded 0.03% from parity at this check. Its distinguishing feature is commercial rather than technical: reserve income is shared with the platforms that distribute it.

Sharing the float changes the incentives

A stablecoin issuer earns interest on its reserves — at current rates, a very large sum on billions of dollars. Traditionally the issuer keeps it. A consortium model returns a share to the exchanges and platforms that hold and distribute the token, which gives them a direct reason to promote it over incumbents.

Distribution economics decide stablecoin adoption

Users generally do not choose a stablecoin; they hold whatever the platform they use supports. That makes distribution the whole game, and it is why a revenue-sharing model is a serious competitive strategy rather than a marketing detail. It is also why an established token can be displaced without ever being technically inferior.

Backing and disclosure

Reserves are fiat-denominated in the conventional cash-and-short-duration-instruments structure, with regulated issuance. The evidence profile is solid and the operating history is short compared with USDC or USDT — which matters, because a stablecoin's most important property is behaviour in a crisis it has not yet had.

Who it suits

USDG fits users on platforms that support it, particularly where the revenue share is passed on as yield. Users wanting the longest track record and deepest liquidity should hold USDC or USDT.

Alternatives

How rivals compare

ServiceScoreBest for
USD Coin (USDC)9.9collateralised issuance at scaleRead →
Tether (USDT)9.9collateralised issuance at scaleRead →
Ethena USDe (USDe)9.7collateralised issuance at scaleRead →
Dai (DAI)9.7collateralised issuance at scaleRead →
Reference

Frequently asked

Does this score assess the quality of reserves?

No. Reserve attestations vary too much between issuers to compare from one public source. The score covers backing model, scale and distribution; read the issuer's own reserve reporting separately.

Where does the data come from?

A public stablecoin dataset queried at the verification date. Anyone can re-run the same query.

Why are algorithmic stablecoins scored lower?

The rubric credits collateralised backing explicitly. Algorithmic designs have the weakest track record and the indicator reflects that.