Argentina’s Tech Workers Prefer Payments in Stablecoins

Technology professionals in Argentina overwhelmingly prefer to be paid in U.S. dollars or cryptocurrencies such as stablecoins, with very few willing to accept the local currency.

Only 2% of tech workers receive their salaries in pesos, according to a Spanish news outlet Perfil citing a report from Bitwage, a global payroll platform.

The most commonly used stablecoins in the country are USDC and USDT — digital tokens designed to maintain a fixed value. Pegged to the U.S. dollar, each USDC or USDT is intended to equal one dollar.

Their issuers, Circle (USDC) and Tether (USDT), hold reserves in cash or short-term U.S. Treasury assets to support this peg. This dollar-linked stability has made them a preferred option for Argentine workers seeking protection from local currency volatility.

Although stablecoins are designed to remain at $1, analysts note that they could lose value if their issuers’ reserves come under pressure or if the broader crypto market faces turmoil.

According to Bitwage, 30% of surveyed professionals are paid in USDC, 22% in USDT, and another 10% receive dollars directly through financial apps.

While 95% of payments to Argentine tech professionals came from U.S.-based employers in 2024, the report highlights a growing shift toward European companies hiring talent from Argentina.