By Isaac • September 16, 2026 11:16 am •
Circle has switched on Arc, a new Layer-1 blockchain built to put stablecoin payments, tokenized assets and institutional markets on the same settlement network.
The launch matters because Arc is arriving with far more than an empty chain and a roadmap. Circle says the network went live with USDC as its native gas asset, tokenized funds available from day one, established lending and trading protocols, and a founding validator group that includes BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard and the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation.
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In its mainnet announcement, Arc described the network as an open financial platform for global markets, real-time value movement and software agents that can transact under defined permissions. The chain is EVM-compatible, is designed
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