How To Earn Interest on USDT

Kevin Groves
Posted by: Kevin GrovesUpdated Jun 16th, 2023

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When it comes to earning crypto cryptocurrencies, users can either choose to directly interact with the market and get high returns. Or, they can earn interest by opening a savings account and earning low but regular returns. The rise of inflation in recent years has compelled investors to look for safer strategies. As a result, earning interest on one of the most secure stablecoins such as USDT has gained traction. But what are the best platforms that provide the highest interest rates? This guide discusses the best places to earn interest on USDT.

Best Platforms to Earn Interest on USDT In 2023

Based on our reviews, these are some of the best places to earn interest on USDT at the time of writing:

  1. Nexo (overall best platform to earn Interest on USDT)
  2. Binance (best for fixed and flexible USDT savings account)
  3. Crypto.com (best-rated mobile app to earn USDT interest)

Tether (USDT) Interest Rate Comparison

Each platform offers a different interest rate on USDT. That being said, investors need to look beyond the saving accounts offerings. Safety, minimum lock-in period, regulatory certifications of the platform, and the history of the lending portal are equally important. When choosing a portal for short-term profits or long-term gains, these are the factors to keep in mind. Here is the comparison between different USDT interest rates provided by our listed platforms.

PlatformUSDC Interest RateRequirementBest For
NexoUp to 12% APYStaking NEXO to earn higher interest (10% of portfolio)No lock-up requirements or minimum redemption period
BinanceUp to 10% APYNoneFlexible and fixed interest
Crypto.comUp to 10% APYStake more than $40,000 of CRO for highest rateEarn interest using mobile app

How to Earn Interest on USDT – Quick Guide

Here are the quick steps to start earning interest on USDT:

  1. Compare and select the USDT interest platform
  2. Create an account and complete the verification
  3. Transfer Tether or purchase USDT
  4. Start earning interest on USDT

Where To Earn Interest on USDT

USDT or Tether is a Stablecoin that is pegged at 1:1 with US Dollars and backed by reserves. The most common applications for USDT include facilitating peer-to-peer transactions and trading between cryptocurrencies, cross-border payments, and as collateral in decentralized lending and borrowing products. For crypto yield farming, nearly all crypto lending platforms provide a savings account for Tether (USDT). However, only a few offer a rare combination of high-interest rates, user interactivity, security, and assurance. Here are our reviews of the top-rated crypto interest platforms that allow investors to earn interest on USDT.

1. Nexo - Overall Best platform to earn Interest on USDT

Nexo is a name renowned in the world of crypto lending that was founded in 2018 and provides users with the opportunity to trade, stake, and earn interest on cryptocurrencies. It has a simple user interface, making it easy for first-time investors and veterans to interact with the market. It supports savings accounts for 33 cryptocurrencies, including USDT.

Nexo has paid over $200 million in interest rates to date and has over 200 certifications. Nexo is one of the few portals that have been trying the hardest to maintain the stability of the crypto market even during the current crypto bear market and liquidity crisis.

Nexo USDT interest accountsNexo USDT interest accounts

Users can earn up to 12% APY on USDT deposits using Nexo. However, it is the highest interest provided for USDT and is only accessible to Platinum tier members. Nexo has divided its membership into tiers: Base, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Base are users with no NEXO tokens in their portfolios, and Platinum are the ones with 10% of their portfolios populated with NEXO. That is, if an investor wishes to earn 12% APY on USDT, they must be a platinum tier member.

Interest rates are compounded daily, and users can withdraw their rewards at any time. Also, if users decide to withdraw their earned interest in the form of NEXO tokens, the crypto lending platform rewards an additional 2% interest.

Nexo interest calculator for USDTNexo interest calculator for USDT

Nexo doesn’t charge any fees on withdrawal, however, there will be a network cost to send USDT over the blockchain. The security on the platform is top-notch. However, the platform has also created an insurance fund of $775 million by BitGo and Ledger to ensure that users can recuperate their losses from any DeFi hacking attempts.

To sum up, Nexo is a beginner-friendly platform that provides the highest interest rate on USDT. The platform sports top-shelf security and has a large insurance fund. The only downsides of this portal? The requirement to hold NEXO to earn a higher interest rate and that the platform is not available for US citizens.

Nexo Pros:
  • Provides the highest interest rate on USDT at the time of writing
  • Compounds daily USDT pay-outs
  • Only 1 USDT deposit is required to start earning interest
  • No fees to withdraw USDT
  • Additional 2% interest if investors choose to receive pay-out in NEXO tokens
Nexo Cons:
  • Holding NEXO tokens is necessary to earn the highest interest rate
  • Earning interest on USDT is not available for US citizens
  • Interest rates can change with the overall market conditions

2. Binance - Best For Flexible & Fixed Ways To Earn USDT Interest

Binance is the world's leading crypto platform. It has not only gained renown as one of the best crypto trading platforms but also as a crypto staking and saving platform. With its Binance Earn feature, users can earn high APY for USDT through staking or saving. Binance provides three options to earn interest on USDT.

  • The Flexible Savings accounts allow investors to earn as much as 10% APY on their UUSDT holdings.
  • The second option is Fixed savings, through which users can earn up to 5.00 APY by locking up their USDT for 30 days.
  • Advanced users can use the Flexible DeFi Staking to earn 3.12% interest on USDT (learn what DeFi is in this guide).
Binance fixed and flexible savings accounts for USDTBinance fixed and flexible savings accounts for USDT

With the Flexible Savings Account, the most conventional way to earn interest on USDT, users can earn interest on different tiers.

  1. 10% APY for up to 2000 USDT
  2. 3% APY for 2000-75000 USDT
  3. 1% APY for more than 75000 USDT

Binance also puts USDT as the flagship crypto on which it offers a savings account. It is one of the highest interest rates users can earn on USDT. However, Binance's UI has come under fire for not being user-friendly. Originally, the platform was designed for institutional investors and mostly sported advanced options. Binance has tried to mitigate this issue by providing blogs and other facilities, but they can be difficult to use for a first-time crypto user.

Compared to the other crypto lending platforms, Binance has more similarities with NEXO and offers the highest interest rates with no minimums. Binance has created an insurance fund of $1 billion to safeguard users' wallets.

Binance Pros:
  • Provide three ways to earn interest on USDT
  • Users can earn up to 12% APY on USDT
  • USDT is the flagship crypto savings account
  • It is one of the world’s most trusted cryptocurrency platforms
Binance Cons:
  • Staking rewards for USDT are not available on Binance.US
  • The user interface is not friendly to beginners
  • Can change interest rates in future

3. Crypto.com - Best Mobile App To Earn Interest In USDT

Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency trading platform that also supports NFTs, wallets, staking, savings, and more. It is a popular app that has added support for over 250 cryptocurrencies. Crypto.com is most known for its flagship product, the VISA crypto debit card. It allows users to pay at merchants and retail shops via crypto as it directly converts cryptocurrencies into fiat. Crypto.com is also known for adding new crypto assets to its Crypto Earn feature, allowing users to earn interest by staking or holding crypto assets. Like Binance, it also offers up to 10% APY on USDT.

Crypto Earn lets users choose among the following three plants to earn interest on USDT.

  • Flexible Term: With Flexible Term, users can earn up to between 0.4% to 0.55% on their USDT holdings.
  • 1 Month Term: Users can hold their USDT for one month to earn 2.65% to 6.00% interest on USDT.
  • 3 Month Term: Investors can earn anywhere from 3.3% to 10.00% interest on USDT by holding their USDT for three months.
Crypto.com app for earning interest on USDTCrypto.com app for earning interest on USDT

Other than the terms, two factors determine how much interest a user can earn on USDT. The first is the number of USDT tokens, and the second is the number of CRO tokens staked. To earn the highest interest, users must stake $40,000 worth of USD. If the investor doesn’t stake any CRO, the interest on USDT goes up to 6%. In short, determining the interest rate for USDT and other crypto-assets is quite confusing.

Crypto.com provides a similar interest rate as Binance. However, unlike Binance, Crypto.com only offers the highest rates to users who have staked the highest amount of CRO. On the positive side, Crypto.com is designed as a mobile-first platform. Due to this, it has 50 million active users. Furthermore, the platform is user-friendly and suitable for newcomers who don't mind the additional requirements and want to earn lucrative interest rates on USDT.

Recently, Crypto.com has acquired in-principle approval to operate in Singapore – allowing it to provide many services, including Crypto Earn, in the country.

Crypto.com Pros:
  • It is a mobile-first platform that allows users to earn interest on USDT via the Crypto.com wallet
  • One of the best apps for buying crypto
  • It offers a high interest rate for USDT
  • Multiple security features to keep the investor’s assets safe
Crypto.com Cons:
  • High CRO staking requirement to earn 10% interest on USDT
  • The interest rate tiers of Crypto.com are quite confusing
  • Not available to US customers

Top USDT Interest Platforms Compared

Here is a brief look into our ratings for the top USDT interest platforms. The info provided is good for a glance. However, it is recommended that investors serious about using the interest method to make long-term gains on their USDT holdings should check out the complete reviews.

ExchangeCrypto AssetsTrading FeesRatingPromotionWebsiteReview
nexo logo

Nexo

720.99%
RatingOur ratings take into account the ease of use, fees, deposit methods along with the exchange's reputation. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
4.7/5
Full StarFull StarFull StarFull StarHalf Star
Get $25 in Bitcoin when you top-up or buy >$100Visit NexoNexo Review
binance

Binance Earn

3970.1%
RatingOur ratings take into account the ease of use, fees, deposit methods along with the exchange's reputation. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
4.7/5
Full StarFull StarFull StarFull StarHalf Star
Up to $100 welcome bonusVisit Binance EarnBinance Earn Review
Crypto.com

Crypto.com

2880.075%
RatingOur ratings take into account the ease of use, fees, deposit methods along with the exchange's reputation. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
4.2/5
Full StarFull StarFull StarFull StarEmpty Star
None available at this timeVisit Crypto.comCrypto.com Review

Should You Earn Interest on USDT?

Tether has had its history of issues, such as the investigation regarding price manipulation in 2017 and 2018. While the company admitted no wrongdoing, in 2021, Tether and Bitfinex reached an agreement with the US Attorney General to pay $42.5 million. Even so, Tether remains the most popular and widely traded stablecoin in the market with a 24-hour trading volume of 40 billion.

Despite these concerns, the major exchanges and platforms continue to allow investors to earn high interest on USDT between 7.25% to over 12% APY at the time of writing. A common strategy during a crypto bear market is to trade from speculative assets into USDT. Therefore, they are able to capitalize on using an interest and savings account to earn good interest rates to offset potential losses in the decline before reallocating capital when the market has bottomed.

Is Earning Interest on USDT Worth It?

Compared to certain highly speculative cryptos with smaller market caps, earning interest on USDT can be more reliable given the 66 billion market cap at the time of writing. Furthermore, USDT is not an algorithmic Stablecoin and is backed by its reserve of USD. These factors make earning interest on USDT a suitable way to earn passive income. However, investors should be cautious as there are several risks associated with the token, the platform, and the market itself.

What Are the Risks of Earning Interest on USDT?

Stablecoins such as USDT as not immune from the various risks associated with the volatile and largely unregulated cryptocurrency space. There are no Government regulations that decide the interest rates on USDT or protect the user's investments. Crypto lending platforms are solely responsible for the customer's assets. Given there have been several incidents in DeFi, it is important to vet each platform carefully.

Trade USDT vs. Earn Interest on USDT?

Trading and earning interest on USDT are great options for investments. With trading, users have the option to buy or sell USDT on a cryptocurrency exchange of their choice and react instantly to the changing market for higher gains. That said, earning interest on Stablecoin can be more profitable in the long run for those that are not experienced traders. With NEXO, users can earn up to 12% APY on their USDT holdings. The interests are compounded daily, profits increase the longer USDT tokens stay inside the savings account.

Earning Interest on USDT – Full Guide

Here is the full tutorial to start earning interest on USDT:

1. Compare and select the USDT interest platform

The individual must choose the USDT platform that meets their needs. The platforms we've listed offer lucrative interest rates and other facilities. Nexo provides the highest interest rate on Tether. Thus, this tutorial explains how investors can earn interest on USDT using Nexo.

2. Create an account and complete verification

Visit the official Nexo website and create an account. Users need to enter their credentials and upload the KYC verification document. A government-issued ID is mandatory if the investor wants to open an interest account on Nexo.

visit the nexo websitevisit the nexo website

3. Transfer USD coin or purchase USDT

If users already have USDT in their crypto wallets, they can transfer them to their NEXO portfolios free of charge. There is an option to top up directly from a Metamask wallet or instantly swap crypto into USDT. Otherwise, they can buy USDT using a supported fiat currency via bank transfer.

Top up Nexo account with USDTTop up Nexo account with USDT

4. Start earning interest on USDT

After the investor's account has USDT, it will start to earn interest. While no further action is needed, users can monitor their USDT holdings and interest accumulated via the mobile or desktop app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Investors can earn interest on USDT on many platforms. The best ones are Nexo, Binance, Crypto.com, Hodlnaut, and BlockFi. These platforms let users earn anywhere from 6% to 12% interest on USDT per annum.

Nexo currently offers the highest interest rate on Tether, which is 12%. Other crypto platforms such as Binance, Hodlnaut, and Crypto.com also provide good interest rates.

Investors can earn interest USDT on Binance through flexible or fixed savings or flexible DeFi staking.

USDT or Tether is a cryptocurrency that is pegged with the USD on a 1-to-1 basis. Its familiarity as a unit of account makes it a popular crypto-asset to trade in-between other digital currencies and currently has a 66 billion market cap. Due to its high liquidity and dominance in the market, there is strong demand for USDT interest accounts and lending products that contributes to the higher returns.

Tether is a Stablecoin that is almost always valued at $1. Stablecoins aren't designed for profit or loss but rather for storing the dollar's value. In this regard, its not a great investment for trading, however, with the emergency of lending platforms, it is a good way to earn a passive income.

Conclusion

The crypto market is volatile, which makes earning interest on USDT a safer option than coins with smaller market caps. However, investors must not consider it a risk-free investment. There are several risks to be aware of in the absence of Government regulations on the marketplace. That is, there are no safety nets to protect customers in the event of a hack or market crash. USDT's backing to the USD also means the value of the crypto will remain stable during market volatility. Moreover, earning up to 12% APY is a lot higher than traditional bank interest accounts.

Kevin GrovesKevin GrovesKevin Groves

Kevin started in the cryptocurrency space in 2016 and began investing in Bitcoin before exclusively trading digital currencies on various brokers, exchanges and trading platforms. He started HedgewithCrypto to publish informative guides about Bitcoin and share his experiences with using a variety of crypto exchanges around the world.

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