Circle Internet Group has launched the public mainnet of Arc, an open Layer 1 blockchain designed for financial markets, stablecoin settlement and applications involving AI agents.
The USDC issuer said Arc went live with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders and more than 100 applications. Its founding validator group includes BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa and Worldpay, now part of Global Payments.
Asia-linked participants extend beyond the validator group. Circle’s launch list includes Japan’s JCB and Digital Garage among payments companies, Singapore-headquartered OSL among digital-asset exchanges, and several major global institutions with substantial Asian operations.
USDC is used for network fees
Arc uses USDC for transaction fees rather than requiring users to acquire a separate volatile token for gas. Circle said the network is designed for sub-second finality and interoperability with other blockchains through its existing infrastructure.
The network also includes support for tokenized assets, stablecoin-based foreign exchange and tools for AI agents. Circle said its Agent Stack provides policy-controlled wallets and payment capabilities intended for automated economic activity.
Some features remain under development. Arc’s opt-in privacy design is planned for a network-wide release, while Circle is also exploring a future move from its current permissioned validator model toward proof of stake.
Arc adds another piece to Circle’s Asia strategy
The mainnet launch follows Circle’s recent push to expand its payments footprint in Asia. TNGlobal reported on September 9 that Circle agreed to acquire Singapore-based Tazapay for $400 million, subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.
Circle said Arc is intended to support payments, foreign exchange, trading, lending and asset issuance. The network is public, but its validator set is permissioned at launch, an architecture the company says is aimed at meeting institutional governance and compliance requirements.
Circle also completed the genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens this week. The company stressed that the technical milestone does not amount to a commitment to publicly launch the token. Network fees remain payable in USDC.
US-based Circle to buy Singapore’s Tazapay for $400M to expand USDC cross-border payments