Circle Acquires Over 1,000 Blockchain Patents from IBM

Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has made a significant move in its quest for blockchain dominance by acquiring nearly 1,000 patents from IBM's patent portfolio. The deal makes Circle one of the largest holders of blockchain-related patents in the U.S.

The acquisition includes over 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, covering foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.

Circle plans to use this intellectual property to strengthen its products, including USDC, Circle Payments Network, and its Arc blockchain platform. The company stated that the deal directly supports its core product lineup and will enable it to advance the infrastructure for global internet-native finance.