USDC | Crypto

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.

Executives at Coinbase, Visa and Mastercard said they plan to support multiple stablecoins, suggesting Open USD is another payments rail rather than a direct replacement for USDC.

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.

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

The exchange also introduced AI trading tools and a developer kit as part of a broader push to build financial infrastructure for autonomous AI agents. Coinbase is expanding its push into AI-powered finance, enabling businesses to accept USDC payments from autonomous AI agents as part of a broader expansion of its payment, trading and developer tools. According to a Thursday X post, Coinbase Business users will be able to accept USDC (USDC) payments from AI agents through the x402 payment standard, which Coinbase first introduced in May 2025 to enable stablecoin payments over HTTP for AI agents, applications and APIs. The post also announced AI trading tools that let users monitor orders, access live market data, and execute actions based on predefined conditions, as well as a software development kit for developers building agent-powered applications. Read more

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.

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 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

Dune data shows Tether's USDT has become crypto’s dominant payments stablecoin while Circle's USDC powers DeFi, highlighting how blockchain choice shapes stablecoin use. The world’s biggest stablecoins are increasingly becoming chain-specific financial products, with Tether’s USDt (USDT) and Circle’s USDC (USDC) serving distinct roles across the crypto ecosystem rather than competing head-on. Dune’s Digital Asset Brief found that USDT overwhelmingly dominates onchain payments. During the first half of 2026, the biggest stablecoin settled about $95 billion in identified commerce payments, compared with $14 billion for second-biggest USDC. It also accounted for roughly 92% of the $48 billion in business-to-business payment volume. On Tron, USDT’s largest network, around 93% of the token’s supply is held in ordinary wallets rather than on exchanges, underscoring its role as a payment and remittance asset. USDC, meanwhile, has established itself as the dominant stablecoin in decentralized finance. USDC on Base pr...

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 (...

The stablecoin market has long rewarded the companies that issue digital dollars. They take in customer cash, hold reserves in short-term government securities, and earn the yield. Now, the companies that distribute those tokens want more of the economics. That tension is at the center of Open USD (OUSD), a planned stablecoin backed by more […] The post Coinbase helped build USDC – Why is it now backing the stablecoin trying to replace it, Open USD? appeared first on CryptoSlate.

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.

The move deepens BNY's partnership with Circle and builds on the bank's role as the primary custodian of USDC reserves. BNY has expanded its Digital Asset Custody platform to let institutional clients store, transfer, mint and redeem Circle's USD Coin, making it the first stablecoin supported on the platform. The new capabilities allow BNY clients to convert US dollars into USDC and redeem the stablecoin back into dollars directly through the bank while also storing and transferring USDC on its custody platform. BNY said it plans to expand the service to additional stablecoins and digital cash workflows over time. The expansion builds on BNY's existing role as the primary custodian of the assets backing USDC, extending its relationship with Circle beyond safeguarding reserve assets to include client-facing stablecoin services. Read more

The world's largest custody bank is adding USDC custody and minting services as stablecoins move deeper into traditional finance.

Users face a September exit deadline while fresh Solana minting signals show liquidity moving faster than recovery systems. The post Solana’s $1B USDC mint collides with DeFi app shutdown as users face unfinished Drift recovery appeared first on CryptoSlate.

EU Crypto Kill Switch vs Russia's Stablecoin Fees The post Europe Just Got the Power to Ban Entire Countries From Crypto, And Russia Hit Back With Fees on USDT and USDC the Same Day appeared first on Cryptonews.

Travala’s new protocol lets AI agents search and book hotels with USDC on Base, but travelers still approve the final payment. Singapore-based crypto travel platform Travala has launched a protocol it says lets artificial intelligence agents search, reserve and pay for hotels with USDC (USDC) on layer-2 blockchain Base, extending agentic AI stablecoin payments into travel bookings. The Travala Travel MCP is live through Claude Desktop, with outside developers able to integrate it into their own travel agents, Travala said in a statement sent to Cointelegraph. The company said the system connects Travala’s hotel inventory to AI agents through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard for linking AI apps to external tools. Payments use Coinbase’s x402 protocol on Base, with Travala saying the setup allows gasless USDC transactions, near-instant settlement and transaction costs of about $0.01 per booking. Read more

The payments giant said USDC, PYUSD, RLUSD and other stablecoins will support new settlement options across multiple blockchains. Mastercard announced its plans to expand its settlement capabilities to let issuers and acquirers settle some card transactions using regulated stablecoins.  On Wednesday, Mastercard said the new capabilities will include intraday, weekend and holiday card settlement, supporting both fiat currencies and onchain settlement through regulated stablecoins. The company said the new options are designed to give its partners more flexibility in managing settlement liquidity and timing.  The expansion shows stablecoins moving deeper into mainstream financial infrastructure as major payments networks test tokenized dollars for settlement. It follows Mastercard securing a New York BitLicense in May, allowing its US transaction services unit to conduct regulated digital asset business activity in the state.  Read more

Privacy protocol Zama says it will accelerate compliance measures after a court lifted a $12.5 million USDC freeze tied to an unrelated legal dispute. Privacy-focused blockchain protocol Zama said it will accelerate compliance measures and proceed with its confidential USDC launch after a US court lifted a temporary freeze on about $12.5 million in USDC held in its cUSDC smart contract, according to a Tuesday X post by co-founder Rand Hindi. The freeze, first reported by Cointelegraph on Saturday, stemmed from a temporary restraining order obtained in connection with an ongoing dispute involving stakeholders of an unrelated project, Overnight Finance. Circle froze the funds after receiving the court order, even though Zama was not a party to the case, according to Hindi's account. “The same court has now lifted the freeze, determining that it was unwarranted,” Hindi wrote. He added that the protocol's cUSDC contract and all underlying USDC had returned to normal operation. Read more