Every comparison
Which one, and why
You are swapping between stablecoins, or between an asset and its wrapped or staked version, where the two sides are meant to hold the same value.
Full Curve Finance pageYou are swapping two assets whose prices move independently, which is almost every other trade.
Full Uniswap pageUse Curve for like for like swaps and Uniswap for everything else. On a large stablecoin swap the difference is not a rounding error, and using the wrong one is a common and avoidable cost.
The specifications
| Curve Finance | Uniswap | |
|---|---|---|
| Networks | Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon and more | Ethereum, Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon, BNB Chain, Unichain and more |
| Model | StableSwap AMM tuned for like for like assets | Automated market maker, v2 constant product and v3 concentrated liquidity |
| Live since | 2020 | 2018 |
| In one line | The place to swap between stablecoins with almost no slippage. | The DEX that invented the model everyone else copied. |
The parts that change the answer
Different curves, on purpose
Curve uses a formula tuned for assets that should sit near parity, so it keeps slippage very low near the peg and gets steep once things diverge. Uniswap uses a general purpose curve that handles any pair reasonably and none of them perfectly.
Where the difference shows up
On a few hundred dollars of stablecoins you will barely notice. On six figures the price impact difference is large enough to be the entire decision.
Concentrated liquidity narrows the gap
Uniswap v3 lets providers concentrate around a price, which makes it far more competitive on stable pairs than v2 ever was. Quote both rather than assuming.
A depeg changes the answer
Curve is optimized for assets holding parity. When one side depegs, that same optimization works against you, which is exactly when people discover it.
Common questions
Is Curve only for stablecoins?
Should I always use Curve for USDC to USDT?
Which is safer?
Want a second opinion on your own setup?
A comparison page cannot see what you already hold or what you are trying to do. On a call we can, and we will tell you when the honest answer is that it does not matter.