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The popular adult video-content website Pornhub has made a dramatic switch in its payments policy, and the move could disrupt the niche "digital dollar" industry.
One of the several adult platforms owned by the&nbsp;adult entertainment conglomerate&nbsp;Aylo, Pornhub is the world's most visited adult website.
As per <a href="https://www.semrush.com/trending-websites/global/adult" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">semrush</a>, Pornhub attracted&nbsp;4.26 billion visitors in March 2026, much ahead of competitors like Xvideos (2.74 billion) and Xhamster (1.62 billion).
<a href="https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/innovation/crypto-startup-zoop-and-onlyfans-throws-hat-in-the-tiktok-race" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Related: OnlyFans founder launches surprise bid to buy TikTok</a>
<h2 id="pornhub-switches-from-usdt-to-usdc-content-creator-claims">Pornhub switches from USDT to USDC, content creator claims</h2>
On Apr. 20, OnlyFans content creator Gracie Hartie <a href="https://x.com/graciehartie/status/2046432213017985139" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">shared a screenshot</a> on X which shows an email sent by Pornhub to creators.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
 Even Pornhub switching from USDT to USDC. What’s going on? <a href="https://t.co/aj3nxr0tD6" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">pic.twitter.com/aj3nxr0tD6</a>— Gracie Hartie ONLYF (@graciehartie) <a href="https://twitter.com/graciehartie/status/2046432213017985139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">April 21, 2026</a>
</blockquote>
Pornhub said it is switching one of its crypto payment options from <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/major-gold-holder-launches-self-custody-wallet" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tether's USDT</a> to <a href="https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/markets/circle-slapped-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-2026s-largest-hack" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Circle's (NYSE: CRCL) USDC</a> to make payouts more reliable. It asked creators to update their payment information by June 1, 2026 so that the payment can be properly executed.
An Aylo representative confirmed the change in payment policy to TheStreet <a href="https://roundtable.rtb.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Roundtable</a>.
<h3 id="trending-on-thestreet-roundtable">Trending on TheStreet Roundtable:</h3>
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USDT and USDC are stablecoins, each pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. As the name suggests, a stablecoin is not volatile like popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) or <a href="https://thestreet.com/crypto/ethereum" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ethereum</a> (ETH) and keeps its value stable by being pegged to a relatively stable currency like the fiat currency.
For instance, USDT and USDC are each pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar. These stablecoins are also called "digital dollars" and have become popular for cross-border transfers due to their quick speed and low fees.
<a href="https://defillama.com/stablecoins" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">As per DeFiLlama</a>, USDT has a market cap of $188.50 billion and accounts for 58.79% of the total stablecoin market. In contrast, USDC has a market cap of $77.88 billion and accounts for 24.29% of the total stablecoin market.
<figure><a href="https://defillama.com/stablecoins" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"></a>
 <figcaption>
 Total Stablecoins Market Cap, Source: DeFiLlama
 </figcaption>
</figure>
Pornhub said it made the switch because USDC is a fully-backed, MiCA-compliant and regulated stablecoin which makes it more secure for creator earnings.
Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) is the European Union's comprehensive regulatory framework designed to regulate crypto-assets across all 27 member states.
Notably,&nbsp;Pornhub <a href="https://www.forexcrunch.com/blog/2020/01/23/pornhub-now-supports-tether-usdt-payments-using-tronlink-wallet/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">introduced</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;USDT payment option for its models in 2020 after PayPal cancelled the partnership. The adult content website used billionaire&nbsp;Justin Sun’s TronLink wallet for the USDT payments. But now, it's a thing of the past.
<a href="https://www.thestreet.com/crypto/explained/explained-what-is-a-stablecoin" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Related: Explained: What is a stablecoin?</a>

World's most-visited adult website makes dramatic move

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