Chainlink vs Tether

General

Description

Chainlink Logo
Chainlink
 (LINK)

Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network available across multiple blockchains. Smart contracts can securely access real-world data (such as prices, weather, or sports results) and communicate with other blockchains through Chainlink - without having to trust any central party.

What is Chainlink?
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)

Tether (USDT) is a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. Issued by Tether Limited, each token is backed by reserves including US Treasury bills, cash, and other assets. USDT acts as a digital dollar in the crypto market, commonly used for short-term capital parking, trading, and fast cross-border transfers without the volatility of traditional cryptocurrencies.

What is Tether?

Purpose and goals

Chainlink Logo
Chainlink
 (LINK)
  • Real-world data integration
  • Solving the oracle problem
  • Cross-chain interoperability
  • Reliable infrastructure
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)
  • Digital dollar
  • Trading & liquidity
  • Fast transfers

Price and market data

Price chart

Chainlink
 (LINK)

$14.11

+3.40%
Tether
 (USDT)

$1.00

+0.033%
Market data
ChainlinkTether
Market cap
$9.96B
$186.77B
Market share
0.30%
5.55%
Current price

$14.11

+$0.66+4.68%

$1.0

+$0.00058+0.058%
LINK converterUSDT converter
All-time high
$52.70
May 10, 2021-73.22%
Crypto all-time highs
Cycle low
$4.96
+185.73%Jun 10, 2023
Prediction for 2026
Powered by AI
$19.11
+36.18%
LINK prediction
Price trend
Positive
(15/30 days)
Momentum
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive
Relative Strength Index
Neutral
BuySell
Neutral (61.51)
News sentiment
Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (95/100)

Last 2 months

Positive
NegativePositive
Positive (67/100)

Last 7 days

LINK newsUSDT news
Price performance
-28.79%
+0.0097%
Price performance
+7.79%
-0.056%
Price performance
+3.91%
-0.052%
Price performance
+3.40%
+0.033%
Price performance
+4.68%
+0.058%
Price performance
+1.58%
+0.0071%
Annual return
+13.07%
+0.056%
Annual return
-39.70%
+0.089%
Annual return
+35.52%
-0.14%
LINK returns
Total return
+6,124.10%
2017 – 2026
-17.40%
2015 – 2026
Average annual return
+132.98%
-1.42%
Transaction volume
$668.19M
24h
$116.36B
24h
Max supply
1B
Circulating supply
708.1M
186.85B
Inflation
10.97%
Year
35.94%
Year
Crypto inflation

On-chain data

Market data
ChainlinkTether
Total Value Locked (TVL)
What is Total Value Locked?
Market cap/TVL (ratio)
Transactions (24h)
11,815
3.9M
Active addresses (24h)
5,262
1.99M

Our rating

Our rating
ChainlinkTether
Our overall rating
Chainlink
Tether
How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

Our individual ratings

Risk
Chainlink: 5 of 10
Risk (Chainlink)
Tether: 8 of 10
Risk (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
riskyless risky
Community
Chainlink: 7 of 10
Community (Chainlink)
Tether: 10 of 10
Community (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
smalllarge
Hype & momentum
Chainlink: 5 of 10
Hype & momentum (Chainlink)
Tether: 7 of 10
Hype & momentum (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
weakstrong
Active usage
Chainlink: 7 of 10
Active usage (Chainlink)
Tether: 10 of 10
Active usage (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
lowhigh
Network effect
Chainlink: 5 of 10
Network effect (Chainlink)
Tether: 9 of 10
Network effect (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
weakstrong
Decentralization
Chainlink: 6 of 10
Decentralization (Chainlink)
Tether: 1 of 10
Decentralization (Tether)
Chainlink Logo
Tether Logo
centralizeddecentralized

Our opinion

Chainlink Logo
Chainlink
 (LINK)
Decentralized applications often require real-world data and communication between different blockchains. The 'oracle problem' and chain isolation were long-standing barriers to blockchain adoption. Chainlink has established itself as the market leader in solving both challenges, now securing over $18 trillion in transaction value. Leading DeFi platforms like Aave, Compound, and Synthetix rely on Chainlink's services. With CCIP for cross-chain interoperability and partnerships with traditional financial institutions like Swift, Chainlink is significantly expanding its addressable market. As the dominant infrastructure provider in this growing sector, we continue to see substantial opportunities for both Chainlink and the LINK token.
What is Chainlink?
Tether Logo
Tether
 (USDT)
Tether has established itself as an indispensable tool in the crypto market. No other stablecoin offers comparable liquidity and global availability. For traders and users in emerging markets, USDT is often the most practical way to hold value in US dollars. That said, the criticism is valid: Tether Limited operates offshore, full audits are still missing, and the freeze function highlights how centralized the system is. For EU users, MiCA adds another factor, as USDT is increasingly restricted on regulated platforms. Despite this, Tether has weathered every major crisis and has processed billions in redemptions without issues. We see USDT as a highly practical trading instrument with clear utility, but not as a long-term store of value. Anyone holding larger amounts should keep issuer risk in mind and consider diversifying into regulated alternatives such as USDC.
What is Tether?

Details

Info
ChainlinkTether
Founder
Sergey Nazarov, Steve Ellis, Ari Juels
Brock Pierce, Reeve Collins, Craig Sellars
Developer
Chainlink Labs
Tether Limited
Published
2017
2014
Open source
Yes
No
Sector
Oracles
Stablecoin
Key feature
Blockchain Oracles
Price stability (USD peg)
Blockchain
Ethereum Blockchain
Multi-chain
Staking
No
No
Consensus mechanism
Ethereum (ERC-20 Token)
Network-dependent (multi-chain)
Energy consumption
Medium
Low
Transactions per second
Institutional investors
  • 8Decimal
  • Anmi OECD
  • Consensus Capital
  • Framework Ventures
  • Outlier Ventures
  • Fundamental Labs
  • etc.
Community
1.31M followers
556,661 followers
Website
chain.link
tether.to
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Whitepaper
Chainlink vs Tether

Chainlink or Tether

Market data comparison of LINK versus USDT

The current price of Chainlink is $14.11 and has increased by in the last 24 hours. Tether is currently trading at $1.0, with a gain of over the same period. Chainlink has a market cap of $9.96B and ranks 20th. Tether follows with a market cap of $186.77B, ranking 3rd — meaning it is valued higher.

We automatically update all market data every 15 minutes, so you always have the latest figures for your comparison.

Should I buy Chainlink or Tether?

You should be aware that investing in cryptocurrencies carries risks, and we are neither allowed nor intending to provide investment advice. Still, we'd like to offer some food for thought: consider the opportunities and risks associated with both Chainlink and Tether. What target markets and problems are these two projects aiming to address?

If you're still unsure whether to invest in Chainlink or Tether, you can take a look at some additional market data to help with your decision:

Chainlink currently has a 99.43% lower 24h transaction volume of $668.19M compared to Tether with $116.36B.
Over the past year, Chainlink achieved a total return of , while Tether returned . Keep in mind, however, that past performance rarely guarantees future results.

Additional criteria for comparing cryptocurrencies:

  • What problem does the project aim to solve, and is a decentralized network meaningful and necessary for it?
  • How actively is the network being used?
  • Does the project have a large and active community?
  • How strong is the development activity? (e.g., on GitHub)
  • How decentralized is the underlying blockchain and the project itself?

How we evaluate cryptocurrencies

These are just a few indicators you can use to better evaluate and compare cryptocurrencies like Chainlink and Tether. Cryptocurrencies and their underlying technologies are often difficult to compare — even for professionals. So don’t stress yourself out, and never let emotions or fear of missing out drive your investment decisions.

Where can I buy Chainlink or Tether?

Today, there are many reputable and secure exchanges that make it easy to invest in Chainlink and Tether. We're happy to help you choose the right one: simply use our exchange comparison tool to find the platform that best suits your needs. Both Chainlink and Tether are well-known and in high demand, which means they're available on most major exchanges.

Crypto exchanges comparison

Which crypto wallet is best for Chainlink and Tether?

If you want to store cryptocurrencies like Chainlink or Tether yourself, choosing the right wallet is essential. Consider your personal preferences when deciding: Is ease of use important to you? Do you prefer maximum security with a hardware wallet (USB device), or is a software wallet sufficient for your needs? Our crypto wallet comparison helps you find the best wallet for Chainlink, Tether, and many other cryptocurrencies.

Crypto wallets comparison

How does our comparison work?

Data & Interfaces

Our market data is automatically updated every 15 minutes. This means you can always use the latest data for your comparisons. We obtain the data through web interfaces (API) from CoinGecko, DefiLlama, CoinCodex and many more

Research & Deepdive

We regularly sift through a jungle of technical whitepapers, websites, social media and forums for you. In doing so, we filter out essential and relevant information in order to present it to you clearly and comprehensibly in our comparison

Analysis & Valuation

We research and use analysis tools for blockchains and their networks, to form a fact-based foundation for our valuation. Please note that this is not an investment recommendation, but merely our personal opinion.

Community & Feedback

We check our information every 1-2 months to ensure it is up to date and correct. With the help of our community, we can find outdated or incorrect data even faster. Of course, we also welcome your feedback or suggestions for improvement!

Our data on cryptocurrencies was last updated on 2026-01-14T14:50:24.360987+00:00. Sources: CoinGecko, defillama.com, coincodex.com.

The content on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. It should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold cryptocurrencies, nor as a guarantee of future price developments. You are responsible for independently verifying any information before using a listed service. Trading cryptocurrencies involves significant risk and can result in the total loss of your capital. Past performance is not indicative of future results. We do not accept any liability for the timeliness, accuracy, or completeness of the information provided, including content from external or third-party sources. All actions are taken at your own risk. Some links on this website are affiliate links. If you purchase a product or use a service through these links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Our content, comparisons, and rankings remain editorially independent. This helps us provide free content and continue developing the platform. Thank you for your support.