- •Venezuela’s inflation hits 229%, crippling the bolivar
- •USDT becomes the de facto currency for merchants
- •Binance P2P rates now guide daily pricing
USDT Replaces Bolivar as Venezuelan Inflation Soars
As Venezuela battles extreme inflation—now reported at a staggering 229%—residents and businesses are increasingly abandoning the bolivar in favor of Tether (USDT), a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar.
The country’s economic collapse has eroded trust in its national currency, forcing merchants to adapt. Many now price goods and services directly in USDT, bypassing the bolivar entirely. This shift has accelerated in recent months, making Tether a key pillar in everyday transactions across major cities.
Binance P2P Sets the Standard
Interestingly, it’s not traditional banks or official exchange rates that dictate pricing anymore—it’s Binance’s peer-to‑to‑peer (P2P) platform. Venezuelan merchants are pegging their product prices to the USDT/VES exchange rate found on Binance P2P, treating it as the real‑time benchmark for dollar value.
This decentralized workaround allows for more accurate, real‑time valuations amid Venezuela’s unstable monetary policy and frequent rate changes. Since Binance P2P reflects actual market demand, it has become a trusted pricing tool in an untrustworthy economic environment.
INSIGHT: With 229% inflation, Venezuela has turned to USDT as its de facto currency, with merchants pegging prices to Binance P2P dollar rates. pic.twitter.com/gUc3m5iHMv
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) October 6, 2025
Stablecoins Offer Financial Stability in Crisis
The rise of USDT in Venezuela isn’t just a tech trend—it’s a survival tactic. Stablecoins provide a store of value in an otherwise collapsing monetary system, and they offer a level of financial stability that the bolivar can no longer provide.
With smartphones in hand and Binance P2P apps open, Venezuelans are creating a parallel financial system—one that doesn’t rely on banks or the government but on crypto networks and real‑time market rates.
As inflation remains unchecked, the use of crypto stablecoins like USDT may not just be a temporary fix—but the new norm for everyday finance in Venezuela.