Circle Launches Arc Mainnet, Aims to Connect Digital Money with Financial Infrastructure

Circle, the company behind the popular stablecoin USDC, has launched its Arc mainnet, a new blockchain network that aims to connect digital money with FX, tokenized assets, credit, and settlement on one platform.

The launch marks an important milestone for Circle as it seeks to expand beyond just supplying digital dollars and become a provider of financial infrastructure. Over 100 institutional and ecosystem builders have participated in the launch, including major names like BlackRock, DTCC, Visa, and Mastercard.

Arc's strategy is centered around providing a platform that can handle a wide range of financial transactions, from currency exchange to tokenized assets settlement. USDC will serve as the gas asset on the network, removing the need for businesses to acquire and manage separate volatile tokens just to pay network fees.