Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has debuted Arc, a blockchain designed for payments, tokenized assets and institutional finance. The launch comes as banks and major payment companies increase their involvement in the stablecoin market. Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire described Arc as potentially more consequential than USDC, highlighting the significance the company places on the new network. The blockchain is positioned to support financial applications beyond the stablecoin itself, with a focus on institutional use cases and payment infrastructure. CoinDesk reported the debut on Sept. 16, 2026. The development expands Circle’s role from issuing a dollar-linked digital asset to providing blockchain infrastructure for businesses and financial institutions. No details on Arc’s market valuation or a separate token were provided in the source material.
