Stablecoin Cost Comparison Calculator
MXNt vs. Alternatives Cost Comparison
Calculate the real financial impact of using MXNt versus USDT or USDC for your Mexican peso transactions.
Most people know about Bitcoin, Ethereum, or even USDT - the big stablecoins that move billions every day. But what about Tether MXNt? If you’re in Mexico or dealing with pesos in crypto, you might have heard of it. It’s supposed to be the digital version of the Mexican peso, pegged 1:1. Sounds simple, right? But here’s the truth: MXNt isn’t just another stablecoin. It’s barely alive.
What Exactly Is MXNt?
MXNt, officially written as MXN₮, is a stablecoin issued by Tether Operations Limited. That’s the same company behind USDT. Its job is simple: one MXNt equals one Mexican peso. If you hold 100 MXNt, you should be able to cash out $100 MXN anytime. It runs on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token, meaning you can store it in any wallet that supports Ethereum - MetaMask, Trust Wallet, etc. The contract address is publicly listed, and Tether claims it’s fully backed by reserves. But here’s where it gets weird. Unlike USDT, which is everywhere - on exchanges, DeFi apps, remittance platforms - MXNt barely exists outside one place: Bitfinex. And even there, it’s practically invisible.Why Was MXNt Created?
Tether launched MXNt in May 2022. The idea was to give Mexican users a way to trade and hold value without converting to USD first. Why does that matter? Because every time you convert pesos to USD and back, you lose money to exchange fees and rate swings. For small businesses, freelancers, or crypto traders in Mexico, MXNt promised to cut those costs. No more waiting days for bank transfers. No more guessing what the peso will be worth tomorrow. It made sense on paper. Mexico has one of the largest crypto user bases in Latin America. Chainalysis says about 1.2% of global crypto activity happens there. So why isn’t MXNt popular?The Reality: Almost No Trading, Almost No Liquidity
Let’s look at the numbers - because they tell the real story. As of September 2024, MXNt’s total circulating supply was around 19.5 million tokens. Sounds like a lot? It’s not. The entire market cap hovered around $1.8 million. Compare that to USDT, which trades over $50 billion daily. MXNt’s 24-hour trading volume? Sometimes under $10. On some days, it’s below $100. That’s less than what you’d spend on coffee. Here’s the kicker: RWA.xyz found that in September 2024, only four wallet addresses held MXNt. One of them was active in the past 30 days. Zero monthly transfer volume. That means almost nobody is moving it. Not between wallets. Not to exchanges. Not to businesses. And guess where you can trade it? Only on Bitfinex. Not Binance. Not Kraken. Not even Mexican exchanges like Bitso or Buda. If you want to buy or sell MXNt, you have to go through Bitfinex - and even then, slippage is brutal. Users report 0.5% price swings on trades as small as $100. That’s insane for a stablecoin that’s supposed to be stable.Is MXNt Really Pegged to the Peso?
Tether says all its tokens are 1:1 backed. But for MXNt, there’s no public proof. No weekly reserve audits. No breakdown of what’s backing it. USDT has monthly reports. MXNt? Nothing. And the price doesn’t even stay close to $0.05 USD (the approximate peso rate). Holder.io recorded prices ranging from $0.045 to $0.068 in early 2024. That’s a 50% swing. If a stablecoin can’t hold its peg, it’s not a stablecoin - it’s a gamble. Even Tether’s own transparency reports don’t mention MXNt. Their $118 billion in reserves? That’s all USDT, USDC, and gold. MXNt? It’s not even listed as a line item. That’s not a bug. It’s a red flag.
Who Uses MXNt? And Why?
The answer? Almost no one. Reddit threads asking “Anyone using MXNt?” get 12 comments. None of them say they use it regularly. One user wrote: “Tried it on Bitfinex. Liquidity is terrible.” Another said they couldn’t even withdraw without waiting 72 hours. The only people who might use it are:- Traders on Bitfinex who want to avoid USD conversion fees
- People who already hold pesos and want to park them digitally
- Curious newcomers who don’t know better
The Big Problem: No Infrastructure
You can’t just buy MXNt and expect to use it. There’s no guide. No tutorials. Tether’s website has one paragraph about it. Bitfinex’s help docs are sparse. If you’re new to crypto, you’re on your own. To even start, you need:- A Bitfinex account (KYC required)
- A Mexican bank account to deposit pesos
- Patience - deposits take 3-5 business days
- Minimum deposit of 1,000 MXNt ($45 USD)
- Willingness to wait 72 hours for withdrawals
Is MXNt Going to Die?
It’s already dying. Tether hasn’t updated MXNt since 2022. No new features. No marketing. No partnerships. Their 2024 roadmap talks about USDT expansion and gold-backed tokens - nothing about pesos. Analysts at Bernstein Research called MXNt a “niche regional stablecoin with minimal growth potential.” RWA.xyz gave it a sustainability score of 2.3 out of 10. CoinGecko labeled it a “shelf product.” The biggest threat? Delisting. If trading volume stays below $500 per month - which it has for months - Bitfinex might just remove it. And then? MXNt becomes worthless. No exchange. No buyers. No way out.
Should You Use MXNt?
If you’re a Mexican crypto user looking for a peso-denominated stablecoin, here’s the truth: Don’t use it unless you absolutely have to. Here’s why:- It’s not liquid - you can’t buy or sell easily
- It’s not trusted - no audits, no transparency
- It’s not supported - no apps, no businesses, no wallets
- It’s not growing - no updates, no future
What’s the Bigger Lesson?
MXNt isn’t just a failed stablecoin. It’s a warning. Stablecoins aren’t magic. They need:- Real demand
- Exchange support
- Transparency
- Infrastructure
What Should You Do Instead?
If you’re in Mexico and want to use crypto with pesos:- Use USDT on Bitso or Buda - they support direct peso deposits
- Use USDC on platforms that support it - it’s more transparent than USDT
- Use PayPal or Wise for fast, low-cost peso-to-crypto conversions
- Stick to local exchanges - they’re built for Mexican users
Is MXNt the same as USDT?
No. MXNt is pegged to the Mexican peso, while USDT is pegged to the US dollar. Both are issued by Tether, but USDT is widely used across exchanges, DeFi, and remittance services. MXNt is almost unused, traded only on Bitfinex, and lacks liquidity or transparency.
Can I use MXNt to pay for goods or services in Mexico?
No. Not a single major Mexican business accepts MXNt. Even crypto-friendly platforms like Bitso and Buda don’t support it for payments. You can only hold or trade it on Bitfinex - and even then, it’s nearly impossible to sell without huge slippage.
Is MXNt backed by real pesos?
Tether claims all its tokens are 1:1 backed, but there’s no public audit or reserve breakdown for MXNt. Unlike USDT, which has monthly reports, MXNt’s backing is completely opaque. Price instability and lack of transparency suggest the peg isn’t reliably maintained.
Where can I buy MXNt?
You can only buy MXNt on Bitfinex. It’s not listed on Binance, Kraken, Coinbase, or any Mexican exchange. You need a Bitfinex account, full KYC, and a Mexican bank account to deposit pesos. Even then, trading volume is so low that buying or selling even small amounts causes major price swings.
Is MXNt a good investment?
No. MXNt is not an investment - it’s a liability. With near-zero trading volume, no liquidity, no updates since 2022, and a high risk of delisting, holding MXNt is like keeping cash in a bank that might shut down tomorrow. There’s no upside, only risk.
Why hasn’t Tether improved MXNt?
Because it doesn’t make financial sense. Tether’s profits come from USDT and other high-volume stablecoins. MXNt generates almost no revenue, has zero user growth, and requires support resources. Tether’s 2024 roadmap doesn’t mention MXNt at all - they’re focused on USDT and gold-backed tokens. MXNt was likely a low-effort experiment that failed.
Author
Ronan Caverly
I'm a blockchain analyst and market strategist bridging crypto and equities. I research protocols, decode tokenomics, and track exchange flows to spot risk and opportunity. I invest privately and advise fintech teams on go-to-market and compliance-aware growth. I also publish weekly insights to help retail and funds navigate digital asset cycles.