I bought USDT but it's not the same as USDC, does it matter?

I once tried to understand the difference between those two and honestly, for most everyday uses it doesn't matter much - both are stablecoins worth around a dollar. The only real difference is who backs them and which blockchain they work best on, but if you're just gonna use them to buy or swap, they work the same.

The difference that matters most in practice is where you use them. USDT has more liquidity and is on more exchanges, so if you want to swap quickly or move money around, USDT is easier 💪 USDC is cleaner from a regulatory standpoint, but if you already bought USDT don't worry, both stick to the dollar and work fine for the basics.

What matters is what you're going to use it for. If your plan is to hold it without touching it for a while, honestly it's pretty much the same - both keep the value of a dollar. But if you need to move money around frequently, USDT has the advantage because it's on practically every exchange and blockchain network that exists, so less friction when you want to swap or transfer. USDC is safer in terms of auditing and backing, but that matters less if you're just storing it.

Here's the advice nobody's gonna give you: check which blockchain each one is on in your platform. USDT on Ethereum is different from USDT on Polygon, and network fees vary a ton. If you're moving small amounts, USDT on Polygon or USDC on any alternative chain is gonna cost you less gas than doing everything on Ethereum. Sometimes the problem isn't which token you picked but which network you sent it on, and that changes everything.

The reality is you've already got the main thing covered with USDT. It's not worth regretting it or doing conversions if you already bought it - the spreads when you swap are gonna cost you more than what you'd gain.