USDC Leads 3x Rise in Crypto-Based Salary Payments Over Past Year: Survey

The share of workers paid in cryptocurrency has more than tripled over the past year, with USDC emerging as the most popular digital asset for payroll, according to Pantera Capital’s 2024 Blockchain Compensation Survey.

In 2023, only 3% of respondents reported receiving any part of their salary in crypto. That figure jumped to 9.6% in 2024, as blockchain-native firms and DAOs increasingly turned to stablecoins and tokens to compensate employees and contributors.

At the same time, the share of workers paid exclusively in fiat dropped from 97% to 89.1%. This shift shows a broader willingness among companies to integrate digital assets into day-to-day operations, particularly in roles that span borders or operate within decentralized ecosystems.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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