Circle Launches Arc Mainnet to Boost USDC Utility

Circle has officially launched its mainnet for Arc, a layer-1 blockchain designed to facilitate easier transactions and payments using USDC. The move is aimed at making USDC more utility-focused, allowing users to fund both payments and transaction fees with the same dollar balance.

Arc's design combines open developer access with a permissioned validator set, featuring institutional participants such as BlackRock, DTCC, Visa, Mastercard, Standard Chartered, and other financial companies alongside Circle. This setup distinguishes Arc from other blockchain networks and is expected to attract businesses considering blockchain settlement.

The launch of the public mainnet follows a private network with over 100 ecosystem and institutional builders in August. The public testnet opened on October 28, 2025, marking the move to a public production network where its design can be tested commercially.