Circle Acquires IBM Blockchain Patent Portfolio
Circle Internet Group has acquired assets from IBM's blockchain patent portfolio in a move to expand its intellectual property holdings. The deal includes over 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide covering various aspects of blockchain technology.
The acquisition makes Circle the largest holder of blockchain patents in the United States. According to Circle, the expanded patent portfolio will support products including USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, and its lineup of on-chain products and agentic financial tools.
Circle's General Counsel and Corporate Secretary Sarah Wilson said that intellectual property is critical to advancing the company's mission and expanding adoption of on-chain infrastructure. The deal also comes more than three years after Circle joined the LOT Network, a global nonprofit that helps protect members from patent lawsuits brought by Patent Assertion Entities (PAEs).