Circle Launches Arc Blockchain with BlackRock and Visa
On September 16, Circle Internet Financial (CRCL) launched its open Layer-1 blockchain called Arc, backed by major financial institutions including BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, DTCC, ICE, Standard Chartered, and Galaxy. This marks a significant step in positioning Circle as infrastructure for the broader financial system rather than just being known for USDC stablecoin operations. Arc is designed to remove friction from blockchain usage by allowing users to pay fees exclusively with USDC instead of volatile native tokens, making it more accessible to mainstream developers. CEO Jeremy Allaire compared Arc's potential scale and impact to Amazon Web Services (AWS). However, early activity on the chain has been dominated by memecoins and decentralized exchanges rather than institutional-grade settlement. Despite recent progress in adoption metrics—such as a 19% increase in USDC circulation and $701.32 million revenue for Q2 2026—the stock remains sensitive to interest rates, crypto sentiment, and regulatory developments like the stalled CLARITY Act.
Topics: Arc blockchain BlackRock blockchain Circle (CRCL) partnership Visa