Circle has officially launched the public mainnet of Arc, its new Layer 1 blockchain built specifically for payments, tokenized assets, financial markets and AI-powered transactions. The network debuted with more than 100 applications and over 100 institutional and ecosystem builders, while financial heavyweights including BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard and DTCC are joining its founding validator group. Circle also completed the genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens, although the company says that does not mean a public ARC token launch has been confirmed.
Wall Street Helps Secure Arc
Unlike most public blockchains that initially rely on a broad network of crypto-native validators, Arc is launching with a permissioned institutional validator set.
The founding group includes BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa and Worldpay, alongside Circle. The validators will be introduced through a phased rollout.
That gives some of the largest names in asset management, payments, banking and financial-market infrastructure a direct role in operating Circle’s blockchain.
Arc Uses USDC for Gas
Arc is designed differently from blockchains that require users to hold a volatile native cryptocurrency simply to pay transaction fees.
Instead, USDC serves as Arc’s gas asset, giving transaction costs a dollar-denominated value. Circle says the network provides deterministic settlement in under one second and connects with more than 20 other blockchains through its existing infrastructure.
Arc launches with infrastructure for:
- Stablecoin payments and foreign exchange
- Tokenized real-world assets
- Institutional lending and borrowing
- Trading and capital markets
- AI-agent payments and wallets
BlackRock’s BUIDL Comes to Arc
Arc isn’t launching as an empty blockchain waiting for applications to arrive.
BlackRock’s BUIDL, tokenized through Securitize, is among the tokenized funds launching natively on the network. Circle’s USYC and Janus Henderson’s JAAA and JTRSY are also available.
On the DeFi side, Aave and Morpho provide lending markets while Uniswap is among the trading protocols available from launch.
The combination is intended to allow institutional assets, stablecoins and DeFi markets to operate within the same blockchain environment.
Circle Mints 10 Billion ARC Tokens
Circle also confirmed one of the biggest developments surrounding the network: the entire initial supply of 10 billion ARC tokens has now been minted in the United States.
But that doesn’t mean ARC is currently available for public trading.
Circle says the genesis mint is not a commitment to publicly launch ARC. Instead, the token is designed to eventually support security, utility and governance as Arc explores transitioning from its current Proof-of-Authority structure toward Proof of Stake in 2027. Transaction fees would continue to be paid in USDC even if ARC becomes part of the network’s consensus system.
Circle previously raised $222 million through an ARC token presale at a $3 billion fully diluted valuation, with participants including BlackRock, a16z crypto, Apollo and ICE.
Circle Builds a Blockchain for Banks and AI Agents
Arc represents a major expansion of Circle’s strategy beyond simply issuing USDC.
The company is positioning the blockchain as infrastructure where banks, asset managers, payment companies, DeFi protocols and autonomous AI agents can transact on the same network.
Arc also launches with Circle’s Agent Stack, providing AI agents with programmable wallets, spending controls and support for small automated payments.
With USDC handling gas, tokenized Wall Street assets available from day one and companies including BlackRock, Visa and Mastercard participating in the network, Arc represents Circle’s attempt to build blockchain infrastructure specifically around the convergence of traditional finance, crypto and the emerging AI-agent economy.
