Circle Stock Plunges 11% Amid Regulatory Uncertainty
Circle Internet Group's stock fell 11% on Tuesday after the US Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act, which would have provided near-term crypto regulatory clarity.
The bill received a 50-49 majority but fell short of the 60 votes required to move forward. Circle and Coinbase each fell about 9% during the broader post-vote selloff, while Bitcoin declined roughly 4%. The failed vote weakened expectations for US crypto regulatory clarity, increasing uncertainty around how quickly institutional digital-asset adoption can accelerate.
Circle's Layer 1 blockchain, Arc, went live on September 16 with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders, over 100 applications, and native integration with USDC. The company is also building beyond reserve income, with more than 175 financial institutions participating in Circle Payments Network and EURC surpassing €400 million in circulation.
The stock remains heavily debated due to competition from Tether's USDT, which has a market value of about $183 billion compared to USDC's $74 billion. Analysts have varying expectations for USDC growth and Arc monetization, with targets ranging from $81 to $140 per share.