Circle | Crypto

Bitwise's Ryan Rasmussen says investors are underestimating Circle as stablecoins expand and the company builds out its payments infrastructure.

The rollout gives X Layer users access to Circle-issued USDC and crosschain transfers as the stablecoin expands across major blockchain ecosystems. Circle has launched its USDC stablecoin on X Layer, OKX’s Ethereum layer-2 network, extending the stablecoin to an ecosystem connected to one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. Circle announced Friday that native USDC and its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) are now available on X Layer. The network is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing applications built for Ethereum to run on it with relatively few changes. CCTP allows USDC to move between X Layer and other supported blockchains by burning the tokens on the source chain and minting an equivalent amount on the destination chain. The integration supports uses including payments, decentralized finance lending and borrowing, trading and crosschain transfers. Read more

Redemptions exceeded mints, yet circulation rose 19% as lower reserve yield sharpened attention on an undisclosed ARC Token contribution. The post USDC redemptions just outpaced mints by $4B, but a massive new token presale is quietly doubling Circle’s revenue outlook appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Stablecoin issuer Circle reported $701 million in Q2 revenue, missing Wall Street estimates of about $713 million. Stablecoin issuer Circle reported $701 million in revenue for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 on Wednesday, narrowly missing preliminary Wall Street estimates. Circle reported $701 million in total revenue and reserve income, up 7% year-over-year, according to its announcement. It also reported net income from continuing operations of $48 million, marking a $530 million year-over-year increase. Circle also reported $668 million in reserve income, which increased 5% year-over-year, primarily due to a 25% increase in average USDC (USDC) circulation. Read more

The New York trust charter allows Circle’s subsidiary to provide fiduciary and custody services under state banking law. Circle said Friday that the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has granted a limited purpose trust charter to its subsidiary, Circle Internet Trust Company LLC. A limited purpose trust charter is issued under New York Banking Law for institutions that do not have the general power to accept deposits or make loans like traditional banks, according to the NYDFS. Instead, charter holders may exercise fiduciary powers and conduct activities such as custodial services, investment management, corporate trust, transfer agency and securities clearance. NYDFS also notes that some applicants seek to engage in virtual currency-related activity. Read more

Circle has acquired nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patents as the USD Coin (USDC) issuer pushes deeper into the infrastructure connecting stablecoins with banks and payment networks. In a July 27 statement, the firm said the portfolio includes more than 680 patent families spanning blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply-chain verification, and secure […] The post Circle is arming USDC with 1,000 IBM patents to secure its grip on global banking rails appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Circle said its expanded blockchain patent portfolio will strengthen infrastructure supporting USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, and agentic financial tools.

IBM’s blockchain portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, with a particular focus in supply chain applications. Circle will acquire IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, the USDC (USDC) issuer said on Monday. No financial details for the transaction were disclosed in Circle’s announcement. CRCL stock price was up more than 2% in premarket activity on Monday following the announcement, according to Yahoo Finance data. The portfolio comprises more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. Circle said the acquisition positions it as the leader in blockchain patent holdings in the United States, with an intellectual property position that directly supports the fintech’s foundation for building the internet financial system. Read more

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart argued that the CLARITY Act should carry virtually no direct effect on Bitcoin's price. In his view, Bitcoin already holds the infrastructure the bill is trying to build for the rest of the industry: commodity treatment, regulated futures, spot ETF access, and institutional custody. That claim sits inside a wider […] The post Bitcoin rose 2% on CLARITY progress while Coinbase, Circle jumped over 8% – but why? appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Kakao Group and Circle signed an MOU to explore won stablecoin payments, remittances, merchant settlement and tokenized financial services. Kakao Group has partnered with stablecoin issuer Circle to explore payment infrastructure for won-backed stablecoins as South Korea prepares a broader regulatory framework for crypto assets.  On Thursday, the companies announced that Kakao, Kakao Pay and Kakao Bank had signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Circle Internet Group. Under the agreement, the companies will explore ways to connect Circle’s blockchain and global payment infrastructure with Kakao’s consumer platforms and financial services. The agreement highlights how major South Korean consumer and financial platforms are positioning themselves ahead of expected stablecoin legislation, even before the regulatory framework is finalized.  Read more

Washington just gave one of the world's largest digital currencies a more official place in the US financial system. On July 10, Circle won final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to open a national trust bank under federal supervision. Circle called it a major step for USDC, as the approval […] The post Circle became a federal trust bank – now lenders warn stablecoins is projected to drain $500 billion appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Circle incurred $1.4 billion in distribution costs connected to Coinbase in 2025, up from $924.5 million the year before, according to the company's own 10-K filing. Those distribution costs equaled roughly 51% of its total 2025 revenue and reserve income. USDC circulation grew 72% year over year to $75.3 billion in the fourth quarter, and […] The post USDC’s 72% surge exposed the expensive truth behind Circle’s stablecoin dominance appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest added $13.9 million worth of Circle shares on Tuesday, extending its July buying spree to 725,517 shares amid a steep stock decline. Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest is doubling down on its bet on USDC issuer Circle even as the company’s stock remains under pressure. ARK bought another 220,000 shares of Circle Internet Group (CRCL) across three of its actively managed exchange-traded funds on Tuesday, according to the company’s daily trade disclosure reviewed by Cointelegraph. Based on Circle’s Tuesday closing price of $63.22 on the New York Stock Exchange, ARK’s latest purchase was worth about $13.9 million. Read more

The companies will explore using USDC for JCB’s cross-border treasury operations and merchant payments in Japan as regulated stablecoin adoption gains momentum. Japan’s largest domestic payment network, JCB, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Circle to explore using USDC for cross-border payments and merchant transactions. Under the memorandum, the companies will initially explore using USDC for JCB’s internal cross-border fund transfers through a proof of concept, while also evaluating stablecoin payments at merchants in Japan for international visitors. The companies said they will also assess technologies that support interoperability across multiple blockchain networks. The agreement builds on a separate initiative JCB launched in January with Digital Garage and Resona Holdings to test stablecoin payments at physical stores in Japan. That project focuses on identifying technical and operational challenges to bringing stablecoin payments to domestic merchants. Read more

JCB and Circle will explore using USDC for cross-border payments and merchant transactions as Japan ramps up efforts to bring stablecoins into everyday commerce.

Japanese investment bank Mizuho reiterated its neutral rating on Circle, saying OCC approval for a national trust bank doesn't address slowing USDC growth or rising competition.

Circle National Trust starts with custody for Circle and affiliates, while outside institutional custody and USDC reserve management remain future possibilities. The post Circle can now open a US trust bank but cannot take ordinary deposits or make loans appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Circle announces it received final OCC approval for a national trust bank that will initially serve the company and affiliates, with possible future custody services for institutional clients. USDC stablecoin issuer Circle on Friday announced it received final approval from the US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to establish First National Digital Currency Bank (FNDCB), a national trust bank that will operate under the name Circle National Trust. “OCC approval to establish Circle National Trust marks a defining step in bringing blockchain technology and digital assets into the core of the US financial system,” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said. The approval comes after Circle applied for the charter in June 2025, allowing it to establish a federally regulated trust institution and expand its digital asset custody infrastructure. Read more

Standard Chartered and Circle launch bank-led USDC minting and redemption for institutions, starting in Dubai’s DIFC with planned global expansion. Standard Chartered and USDC issuer Circle have developed a system that lets institutional clients mint and redeem the USDC stablecoin through a bank-led onboarding process. Standard Chartered said Thursday it is the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer such services for USDC, bringing stablecoin access into the same risk, compliance and governance frameworks used in traditional banking. Clients will be able to mint and redeem the US dollar-backed stablecoin directly through StanChart's platform instead of opening separate accounts with Circle. “By embedding USDC access directly within Standard Chartered’s institutional offering, Standard Chartered will bring together banking, custody, and digital asset services within one integrated offering,” the announcement said. The initial rollout will be through the Dubai International Financial Centre (...

Allaire says the stablecoin fight will hinge on liquidity, integrations and regulated usage once OUSD goes live. The post Circle CEO says Open USD must break USDC’s network effect before its 140 backers matter appeared first on CryptoSlate.