Circle Unveils Arc Partners: BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, and NYSE Parent ICE Join Blockchain Network
Circle has unveiled the first partners of its new blockchain network, Arc. The list includes major players such as BlackRock, Intercontinental Exchange (parent company of the New York Stock Exchange), Visa, Mastercard, and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC). These firms will act as operators on the network, verifying transactions, securing infrastructure, and adding new blocks to the chain.
Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle, explained that Arc was designed as a distributed network with between 10 and 12 initial participants, which could expand to 20 or 40 operators over time. Each participant will be part of a staking infrastructure where ARC token holders can vote on key components of the network.
Among the notable integrations, BlackRock will bring its tokenized money market fund BUIDL to Arc using native USDC support. The DTCC will work with Circle to incorporate tokenized versions of traditional assets starting in the second half of 2027.
Circle currently operates in a limited-access phase with 100 selected partners and holds 25% of the initial supply of 10 billion Arc tokens, allowing it to participate in the validator infrastructure and earn staking revenue.