Crypto Salaries Surge as Stablecoin Adoption Grows
According to Cointelegraph, the number of crypto professionals receiving salaries in digital assets has significantly increased over the past year, with 9.6% now paid in stablecoins. This trend is highlighted in a report by venture capital firm Pantera Capital, which surveyed over 1,600 crypto professionals across 77 countries. The report indicates a shift towards blockchain-native payroll systems and growing institutional trust in dollar-backed assets such as USDC Coin (USDC) and USDt (USDT).
Circle’s USDC has emerged as the leading choice, accounting for 63% of all crypto payrolls, despite Tether’s USDt being the most traded stablecoin by volume globally. The report notes an interesting observation that none of the major payroll providers in the space, including Deel, Remote, and Rippling, offer USDT for payroll. Combined, USDC and USDt make up over 90% of reported payouts. As per DeFiLlama, the total market capitalization of all stablecoins was $268.6 billion at the time of writing.
The report also highlights a trend towards token-based compensation structured around long-term alignment, with nearly 88% of vesting schedules now set to four years, up from 64% the previous year. It suggests that in the blockchain industry, hands-on experience and technical expertise often outweigh academic credentials. Professionals with a bachelor’s degree earned an average salary of $286,039, notably higher than those with a master’s at $214,359 or a doctorate at $226,858.
Circle is actively positioning USDC as a core tool for institutional payments, payroll, and B2B financial infrastructure, beyond just trading. In March 2024, Circle partnered with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), the parent firm of the NY Stock Exchange, to explore USDC and tokenized fund integration in global derivatives markets. Two months later, Circle applied for a federal trust bank charter with the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, as part of its long-term strategy to provide regulated infrastructure for stablecoin payments, custody, and settlement.
In July, U.S. President Donald Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, establishing a bipartisan regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers like Circle. Supporters of the bill cited USDC as a model for compliant digital dollars. This legislative move is seen as a significant step towards providing clarity and stability in the digital asset space, potentially paving the way for broader adoption and integration of stablecoins in various financial sectors.
