Module 05
Stablecoins and Digital Payments
A practical USDC wallet workshop reinforced lessons on stablecoin pegs, reserves, and payments.
Original slide files are available in the local preview. Public distribution is pending source-material review.
Learning objectives
- Describe a stablecoin’s intended price peg.
- Compare fiat-backed, crypto-collateralized, and algorithmic approaches as presented in the review.
- Explain why reserves and peg failure matter to the discussion.
- Connect the USDC workshop with the session’s payment and settlement examples.
Key concepts
- Price pegs
- USDC
- USDT
- DAI
- Fiat-backed stablecoins
- Crypto-collateralized stablecoins
- Algorithmic stablecoins
- Reserves
- Depegging
- Cross-border settlement
Topics discussed
Pegs and backing
USDC, USDT, and DAI illustrated the stablecoin discussion. The review compared fiat reserves, cryptocurrency collateral, and algorithmic mechanisms for maintaining a target value.
Reserves and risk
The lesson connected backing to the intended peg and examined insufficient reserves and algorithmic instability as risks. A target price is not a guarantee that a stablecoin will maintain it.
Payments and settlement
Cross-border payments introduced the potential for lower fees and faster settlement. These are use cases explored in the lesson rather than guarantees about every transaction.
USDC workshop
Members were guided through receiving USDC in Coinbase Wallet. An optional extension involved swapping into cbBTC, connecting the discussion of digital payments with a practical wallet exercise.
Original presentation
Stablecoins and Digital Payments
25 slides reviewed.
The original presentation was reviewed for this lesson. The file and embedded images remain private pending permissions, privacy, and licensing review.
Optional review questions
Choose an answer to review the meeting material. This quiz checks the presentation’s answer key, not current market knowledge. Historical or ambiguous answers carry notes. Responses are not saved.