According to new data released by CoinsBee on September 21, 2026, USDT on the TRON network has become the dominant choice for crypto-to-retail payments, outperforming Bitcoin by nearly two-to-one. In the 90-day period ending September 1, 2026, TRC-20 USDT recorded 1.8 times more transactions than Bitcoin and 1.9 times more than Ethereum. This trend highlights a fundamental shift in user behavior, where stablecoins are increasingly preferred for transactional utility over the price volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies.
The growth metrics are substantial, with USDT on TRON now accounting for 16.23% of all platform payments, up from just 9.92% in 2025. Beyond just transaction volume, the network is capturing higher-value commerce; TRON-based USDT accounted for 64.5% of the platform's total USDT turnover despite representing a smaller share of individual payment counts. This suggests that users are entrusting the TRON network with larger retail acquisitions, benefiting from its high throughput and cost-effective fee structure compared to Ethereum's Layer 1.
In the United States, this trend is manifesting through high-volume purchases of gift cards for essential and lifestyle brands. Top-tier retailers like Amazon, Apple, Walmart, and Sephora, along with service providers like AT&T, Uber, and DoorDash, have emerged as the primary targets for USDT spending. This localized data confirms that American crypto holders are actively using digital assets to cover transport, food delivery, and mobile connectivity, moving crypto further into the realm of a functional currency for the domestic economy.
As the US market continues to await clearer federal stablecoin regulations in late 2026, the organic growth of TRC-20 USDT usage serves as a barometer for market demand. The preference for TRON over Bitcoin for payments suggests that while BTC remains a preferred store of value, the retail sector is being won by networks that can provide dollar-pegged stability and near-instant settlement. Market participants should watch for potential retail partnerships that could further cement TRON’s lead in the payment processing space as more legacy brands look to capture stablecoin liquidity.