What Is a Stablecoin Peg?
A stablecoin is a type of crypto asset that’s designed to have a relatively stable value. While cryptocurrencies are usually known to be volatile, stablecoins have been specifically created to be a hedge against price fluctuations.Stablecoins maintain stability by using a "peg." A "peg" is like an anchor for value. Just as countries might tie their money's value to another country's currency to keep it stable, stablecoins do something similar. Many stablecoins, like USDT and DAI, aim to have the same value as $1.
What Happens When a Stablecoin Depegs?
When a stablecoin is no longer trading for its predetermined peg value, it's called a "depegging event." Over the years, stablecoins have found immense utility and currently account for billions of dollars in daily trading volume. This is why a depegging event could potentially have far-reaching consequences. Later on in the article, we will be looking at historical instances of stablecoin depegs. Before that, let's look at how stablecoins manage their pegs.