Bitcoin vs Tether
Bitcoin (BTC) ranks #1 by market capitalization at $1.60T and Tether (USDT) ranks #3 at $183.4B, as of September 5, 2026. Bitcoin has a fixed maximum supply of 21.0M BTC; Tether has no fixed supply cap. Bitcoin is available on 36 exchanges we have verified and Tether on 21; 20 list both.
Verified How we verify
Side-by-Side
 Bitcoin |  Tether | |
|---|---|---|
| Market cap rank | #1 | #3 |
| Price | $79,639 | $1.00 |
| Market cap | $1.60T | $183.4B |
| Fully diluted valuation | $1.60T | $188.9B |
| 24-hour volume | $32.3B | $61.8B |
| Circulating supply | 20.1M BTC | 183.4B USDT |
| Maximum supply | 21.0M BTC | No fixed cap |
| All-time high | $126,080 (October 6, 2025) | $1.32 (July 23, 2018) |
| Change from all-time high | −36.8% | −24.4% |
| 7-day change | +2.5% | 0.0% |
| 30-day change | +23.1% | +0.1% |
| Category | layer-1 | stablecoin |
| Chains | the Bitcoin network | 11 chains including Ethereum, Klay Token, and Tezos |
| Launched | 2009 | — |
Where You Can Buy Each
| Bitcoin | Tether | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchanges listing it | 36 | 21 |
| Countries and US states with a ranked buy page | 70 | 70 |
20 exchanges list both; 70 locations have a ranked buy page for both.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which has the larger market cap, Bitcoin or Tether?
- Bitcoin, by about 8.7× as of September 5, 2026: $1.60T for Bitcoin against $183.4B for Tether.
- Does Bitcoin or Tether have a fixed supply?
- Bitcoin is capped at 21.0M BTC; Tether has no fixed maximum supply.
- Where can I buy both Bitcoin and Tether?
- 20 exchanges we have verified list both. Pick your location on the buy pages to see which serve you and what a $500 purchase costs.