Circle-Backed Arc Chain Set to Launch Public Mainnet on September 16

Arc Chain, an EVM-compatible Layer 1 built by Circle, is set to launch its public mainnet on September 16. The chain is designed for stablecoin finance and has garnered significant attention due to its backing by major fintech app Circle.

The emergence of Arc means that Circle wants to own the settlement layer where dollars run on top, providing institutions with predictable fees, instant settlement, and a compliant entry point. Arc's funding is also impressive, having pre-sold $222 million at a fully diluted valuation of approximately $3 billion in May 2026.

The chain has three layers: Pioneer Layer, Application Layer, and Medium to Long Term Layer. The Pioneer Layer includes launchpads like Tolly and Warp, which offer attractive opportunities for retail participants. The Application Layer features DeFi and trading terminals, with platforms like Fomo and edgeX already committed to integrating on day one.

The Medium to Long Term Layer involves tokenized assets and the ARC token itself, which has a lock-up period and is not the main course for current hot money on the chain. Before trading Arc memes, users need to obtain Arc USDC, which can be done through the OTC market Unstable or by manually adding the network.