Circle Acquires IBM's Blockchain Patent Empire for $17.5 Billion Market Cap
Circle Internet Group has acquired over 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued blockchain patents from IBM in a landmark deal. The acquisition makes Circle the largest blockchain patent holder in the United States.
The portfolio directly underpins Circle's core products: USDC, the Circle Payments Network (CPN), and Arc, its enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure.
Circle's CRCL stock is trading at $65.67, up about +5% in the past 24 hours as investors digest this major news. The market cap for CRCL is $17.5Bn.
The IBM blockchain patent portfolio spans foundational distributed-ledger technology, banking and financial services workflows, insurance infrastructure, supply-chain verification, and secure cloud operations.
Circle plans to explore additional commercial opportunities with IBM beyond the sale, including technical collaborations or further licensing arrangements.