Confirm the official USDC or USDT contract
Copy the issuer’s published contract for the named chain and match it character-for-character in the wallet or explorer; tickers and logos are not proof.
To confirm official USDC or USDT, copy the contract address published by the issuer for the specific blockchain and match it character-for-character to the token page in your wallet or an on-chain explorer. Only an exact match to the issuer-published string identifies an issuer-backed stablecoin.
Any party can deploy a token labeled USDC or USDT. Wallets, explorers and market-data sites often display the same ticker and similar logos. A clone token, a bridged wrapper or a contract the issuer no longer redeems can still transfer and appear identical in a balance view.
Issuer registries are the source of truth. Circle lists USDC addresses on its USDC contract addresses page; Tether lists USD₮ contracts on its supported-protocols page. Examples on issuer pages include Circle Ethereum 0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48, Base 0x833589fCD6eDb6E08f4c7C32D4f71b54bdA02913 and Solana EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v. Tether examples include Ethereum 0xdac17f958d2ee523a2206206994597c13d831ec7, Tron TR7NHqjeKQxGTCi8q8ZY4pL8otSzgjLj6t and Solana Es9vMFrzaCERmJfrF4H2FYD4KCoNkY11McCe8BenwNYB.
On EVM chains, match the full hexadecimal string from the issuer page to the explorer or wallet contract. Mixed-case checksum (EIP-55) is a convenience: a case-only difference does not indicate a different contract, but any altered character, extra prefix or close address is a mismatch. Token name, symbol and decimals are secondary checks; a cloned contract can copy them and a verified badge on an explorer indicates source code matches bytecode, not issuer backing.
Native issuer contracts and bridged wrappers are distinct. Circle’s registry lists native USDC for each chain; bridged representations often labeled USDC.e are separate contracts and are not issued or backed by Circle. Custodians that accept only native USDC may quarantine or reject bridged wrappers even when the ticker matches.
Tether separates current protocols from deprecated ones. Tether lists Kusama, Bitcoin Cash SLP, Omni Layer, EOS and Algorand among chains it no longer issues or redeems. Tokens on those chains can still move and show balances, but they are not redeemable with the issuer. EUR₮ has been wound down and CNH₮ redemptions end on 20 February 2027.
Operational guidance for treasury teams includes naming the chain in full, copying the official issuer address into an approved-token file, recording the issuer URL and the date copied, and requiring dual control to add an address. Teams should refuse an address supplied only by email or chat and require the supplier to confirm the exact string out of band before any test transfer.
Do not treat an inbound token as treasury cash until the received contract exactly matches the allowlist. Quarantine bridged wrappers, clones and deprecated-chain tokens. Issuer registry pages are living records; copy the address on the day you add it to an approved list. A transfer that clears on-chain is not an issuer redemption; only the issuer-published contract string identifies the asset a treasury or custodian can convert into dollars.
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