Circle Debuts Layer-1 Blockchain Arc Using USDC for Native Gas

Key Points

1. Circle unveiled Arc, an open Layer-1 blockchain focused on stablecoin payments, foreign exchange, and capital markets applications, with USDC as its native gas token.

2. Circle's Q2 2025 results showed a 90% year-over-year surge in USDC circulation to $61.3 billion, with total revenue and reserve income growing 53% to $658 million.

3. Arc is EVM-compatible and features sub-second settlement, an integrated stablecoin FX engine, and opt-in privacy, aiming to support enterprise-grade blockchain applications.

4. Circle's partnerships include over 100 institutions in the onboarding pipeline, such as Binance, Corpay, FIS, Fiserv, and OKX, to embed USDC deeper into global payment flows.

5. CEO Jeremy Allaire described Arc as a key component of Circle's vision for a stablecoin-powered global economy, following the launch of the Circle Payments Network in May.