Pornhub Drops USDT for USDC as Creator Payout Method Amid MiCA Compliance Push

TLDR:

• Pornhub replaced USDT with USDC for creator payouts, citing better reliability and MiCA regulatory compliance.
• The switch ends Pornhub’s infrastructure partnership with Justin Sun’s TronLink wallet established back in 2020.
• Drift Protocol took the opposite route, moving from USDC to USDT following a $127.5M Tether-backed bailout.
• USDC’s MiCA-compliant status is driving adoption on platforms operating within regulated financial environments.

USDC has officially replaced USDT as the preferred stablecoin for creator payouts on Pornhub. The world’s largest adult website confirmed the change through an email sent to its content creators.

The switch follows years of relying on Tether after PayPal exited the platform in 2020. Pornhub cited payment reliability and regulatory compliance as its primary reasons for adopting Circle’s stablecoin.

The move also ends the platform’s infrastructure partnership with Justin Sun’s TronLink wallet.

Pornhub Cites MiCA Compliance in the USDC Transition

The email sent to creators described USDC as a “fully-backed, MiCA-compliant and regulated stablecoin.” Pornhub added that it provides “a more secure option for your earnings” compared to USDT.

The platform also stated that USDC “is pegged 1:1 to the US dollar.” It further noted that it “works just like USDT on the ERC-20 network.”

OnlyFans content creator Gracie Hartie shared a screenshot of the email on social media. A Japanese trader also confirmed receiving the same communication from Pornhub.

The email specifically stated the change was aimed at making payouts “more reliable” for creators. The broad circulation of the message confirmed the policy shift applied across multiple regions.

Pornhub’s model program page no longer lists USDT as an available payout method. In its place, the page now shows USDC alongside Paxum, Verge, and Cosmo.

The removal of USDT from the payout list marks a complete and deliberate transition. Creators are expected to update their wallet information to reflect the change.

Pornhub adopted USDT back in 2020 after PayPal severed ties with the platform. The company stated at the time, “Since PayPal’s decision to stop payouts to thousands of Models two months ago, we’ve been hustling to…offer you more options.”

That USDT infrastructure was supported through a partnership with Justin Sun’s TronLink wallet. That partnership no longer appears anywhere on Pornhub’s model program page.

USDT and USDC Continue to Compete Across Different Platforms

While Pornhub moved to USDC, a separate development saw USDT gaining ground in another ecosystem. Earlier this month, Tether stepped in to support the hacked Drift Protocol with a $127.5 million bailout.

The Solana-based platform had been drained of approximately $285 million by attackers. North Korean-linked hackers were suspected of compromising a multisig wallet to execute the breach.

As part of the bailout deal, Drift Protocol agreed to transition its settlement asset from USDC to USDT. This effectively reversed the stablecoin preference within that ecosystem.

The back-and-forth between the two stablecoins reflects an ongoing rivalry in the crypto market. Each major platform event appears to shift institutional preference in a new direction.

These moves by both Pornhub and Drift show how stablecoin adoption continues to shift across platforms. USDC’s standing under MiCA gives it an advantage in compliance-focused environments.

USDT, however, retains dominance in markets where liquidity and speed take priority. The broader competition between the two stablecoins remains very much active.

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