Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, is planning to expand into around 40 developing markets, according to CEO Jeremy Allaire. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Allaire highlighted the growing demand for stablecoins in regions like Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. He noted that the world is transitioning from the early adopter phase of blockchain technology into a mainstream scaling phase, driving this expansion.
Analysts at Bernstein have expressed optimism about Circle's growth prospects, predicting a new cycle for USDC. They cited several factors, including renewed momentum in crypto markets, clearer US regulations, tokenized capital markets, and the rising use of stablecoins for payments. Notably, USDC's share of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume has surged from about 40% in 2025 to over 60% so far in 2026, surpassing Tether’s USDT by that measure.
Circle recently announced its plans to acquire Singapore-based cross-border payments platform Tazapay in a $400 million all-stock deal, expected to close in 2027. This acquisition aligns with Circle's strategy to strengthen its position in global payments and stablecoin adoption.