Gemini Dollar (GUSD): tokenomics, risks and score
A dollar stablecoin issued by Gemini under New York State supervision, with monthly attestations and reserves held at insured institutions.
What Gemini Dollar is, and what it does
This is a stablecoin. It is designed to hold a fixed value, almost always one US dollar, so it can be used for payments and trading without the price moving underneath you.
What the GUSD token itself does: It captures no protocol revenue. Any value rests on governance rights, on speculation, or on a change that has not happened yet.
Where it runs: Ethereum. Mechanism: Regulated fiat backed stablecoin. It has been running since 2018, so roughly 8 years.
The facts
- TICKER
- GUSD
- SECTOR
- Stablecoins
- CHAIN
- Ethereum
- LAUNCHED
- 2018, so around 8 years of operating history
- MECHANISM
- Regulated fiat backed stablecoin
- MAXIMUM SUPPLY
- Minted against reserves
- VALUE CAPTURE
- None
- UPGRADE CONTROL
- Single key
- VESTING
- Complete
- LIQUIDITY BAND
- Micro cap. Thin, often a single venue or pool. Treat the quoted price as indicative only.
How the score breaks down
Each dimension is explained on the directory page, and the reasoning behind it is taught in the Academy research process.
Supply and value capture
Supply expands and contracts by design rather than following a fixed schedule. The token captures no protocol revenue. Any value rests on governance rights, speculation, or future changes that have not happened yet.
A single key controls the contract. Whoever holds it can change the rules or move funds. Ownership is heavily concentrated. A small number of wallets hold enough to determine the price on their own.
Where it is strong and where it is not
- Has operated for around 8 years and through at least one full bear market
- Audited, with published reports
- Vesting is complete, so there is no scheduled supply overhang
- Heavily concentrated ownership means a few wallets control the outcome
- The token captures no protocol revenue, so its value rests on sentiment
- Upgrade control sits with a small group, so the rules can change
- Thin liquidity. Check order book depth before assuming you can exit
Incident history
No major exploit, collapse or regulatory action on record against this asset.
Our read
The main risk
Very small supply and thin liquidity, and its issuer's separate lending programme failed in 2022.
Before you buy anything
Check the contract address against the project's own documentation rather than a search result or a screener link, since impersonation tokens with identical names and logos are listed constantly. Check the order book depth before assuming you can exit at the quoted price. And write down what would make you wrong before you buy, not after. The Academy thesis module covers why that single habit protects more capital than any indicator.