USDC, short for USD Coin, is a stablecoin pegged to the U.S. dollar and issued by fintech company Circle in partnership with Coinbase. Launched in 2018, it is designed to maintain a 1:1 value with the dollar through reserves held in cash and short-term U.S. Treasuries. USDC is used extensively in cryptocurrency markets for trading, payments, and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, offering a stable digital asset alternative to volatile cryptocurrencies.