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Circle's Arc blockchain explained: why Circle built it, who backs it, the ARC token
Circle Arc is the layer-1 blockchain that Circle, the issuer of USDC, launched on mainnet on 16 September 2026. USDC pays for gas, blocks are final in under a second, and validators include BlackRock, Visa and Mastercard. An ARC token was minted but has not launched. arky, the trading terminal on Circle's Arc chain, lets you trade there in USDC.
This page covers the Circle side of Arc: the strategy, the institutions, the token and the timeline. For the technology (consensus, finality, EVM) read what is Arc blockchain; for chain ID and RPC values see Arc network details.
Why did Circle build the Arc blockchain?
Circle built Arc so that USDC, the dollar stablecoin it issues, has a chain designed around it rather than one where it is a guest. On Ethereum or Solana a USDC user still needs ETH or SOL for gas and waits for probabilistic finality. On Arc, USDC is the gas token, fees are priced in dollars and a block is final the moment it is committed (Arc docs: system overview). Circle calls Arc "an Economic Operating System for the Internet" in its mainnet press release (Circle, 16 Sept 2026).
Owning the chain also lets Circle ship its own services natively: Circle StableFX brings "24/7 programmable FX across 20+ fully-reserved stablecoins" to Arc (arc.io, 16 Sept 2026), and USDC moves in and out over Circle CCTP and Gateway (Arc is CCTP domain 26, per the Arc contract addresses page). CEO Jeremy Allaire framed the move as Circle "becoming a broader internet platform company" (Decrypt, 11 May 2026).
Circle Arc timeline: from testnet to mainnet
| Date | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 28 October 2025 | Arc public testnet opens (chain ID 5042002) | Circle, 28 Oct 2025 |
| May 2026 | Circle raises about $222 million in a private ARC token presale at a $3 billion fully diluted valuation, led by a16z | Decrypt, 11 May 2026 |
| Before mainnet | Testnet processes more than 700 million transactions in under a year | Circle, 16 Sept 2026 |
| 16 September 2026 | Arc mainnet launches (chain ID 5042) with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders on day one | Circle, 16 Sept 2026 |
| Launch week | Genesis mint of the full initial supply of 10 billion ARC tokens | Circle, 16 Sept 2026 |
| 2027 (explored) | Possible transition from proof of authority toward proof of stake | arc.io, 16 Sept 2026 |
Who are the Circle Arc validators?
Arc launched with a permissioned founding validator cohort of eleven institutions: BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa and Worldpay (Circle, 16 Sept 2026). Arc's docs describe this as a "Proof-of-Authority validator set composed of regulated institutions" (Arc docs). Anyone can deploy contracts and transact; only block production is permissioned today.
Who backs Circle Arc financially?
The ARC presale in May 2026 was led by Andreessen Horowitz with a $75 million purchase, with BlackRock and Apollo funds also named as buyers (Decrypt). Decrypt reported the planned split of the 10 billion initial supply as 25% held by Circle, 60% for network participants (builders and users) and 15% as a long-term reserve. Circle was described as the first publicly listed company to run a token presale.
Which stablecoins and assets live on Circle Arc?
- USDC, the gas token, with an ERC-20 interface at
0x3600000000000000000000000000000000000000(6 decimals). - EURC, Circle's euro stablecoin, and USYC, a tokenized yield asset.
- cirBTC and WETH as wrapped bitcoin and ether.
Addresses and decimals are on the Arc contract addresses page and in our Arc network details table.
Is there an ARC token?
An ARC token exists on paper and as a genesis mint, but it has not been launched to the public. Circle completed the genesis mint of 10 billion ARC in the week of mainnet (Circle) and describes ARC as "a digital commodity intended to act as the native coordination mechanism for security, utility, and governance on Arc". The same Arc post states: "No ARC token has been launched. Any discussion is exploratory only — no decision has been made on development, deployment, or utility" (arc.io, 16 Sept 2026). You never need ARC to use Arc: gas is paid in USDC.
Is there an Arc blockchain airdrop?
No. As of 5 October 2026 Circle has announced no ARC airdrop, no eligibility rules and no claim page. The 60% "network participants" share reported by Decrypt is a planned allocation, not an airdrop announcement, and Circle says no decision on launch or distribution has been made. Treat any site asking you to connect a wallet to "claim ARC" as a scam, and check news only on arc.io and circle.com. Apps on Arc, including trading apps, may run their own points or rewards; those are separate from Circle.
How do you use Circle Arc today?
- Add Arc mainnet to MetaMask or any EVM wallet (chain ID 5042).
- Bridge USDC to Arc with CCTP or withdraw from an exchange.
- Swap on an Arc blockchain DEX or browse the Arc ecosystem.
- Trade from one screen with arky.
Where does arky fit on Circle Arc?
arky is the trading terminal of Arc, live on Arc mainnet. In one app you can trade memecoins on Arc (including a launchpad whose tokens graduate to a Uniswap v4 pool), bet on crypto prediction markets settled in USDC on Arc, swap spot tokens, and open crypto perps funded with USDC from Arc. Scout, the AI agent every user gets, answers from live arky data and proposes trades; your wallet signs every one.
Keep reading: Arc, memecoins, predictions and perps
- Arc blockchain guides (hub)
- What is Arc blockchain?
- Arc mainnet chain ID, RPC URL and explorer
- DEXs on Arc blockchain: where to swap
- Memecoins on Arc
- Crypto prediction markets in USDC
- Crypto perps from Arc with USDC
FAQ
What is Circle Arc?
Circle Arc is an EVM-compatible layer-1 blockchain built by Circle, the USDC issuer. USDC is the gas token, finality is under one second, and mainnet launched on 16 September 2026.
Who owns the Arc blockchain?
Circle built and runs Arc. Blocks are produced by a permissioned set of eleven founding validators, including BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, DTCC and Standard Chartered.
Is the ARC token live?
No. Circle minted 10 billion ARC at genesis in September 2026, but Arc states that no ARC token has been launched and no decision has been made on deployment or utility.
Is there an Arc blockchain airdrop?
No. As of 5 October 2026 there is no official ARC airdrop, eligibility list or claim page. Treat any site asking you to connect a wallet to claim ARC as a scam.
How much did the ARC token presale raise?
About $222 million in a private presale in May 2026, at a $3 billion fully diluted valuation, led by Andreessen Horowitz, according to Decrypt.
Is Circle Arc a layer 1?
Yes. Arc runs its own consensus (Malachite) and execution (Reth) and does not settle to Ethereum, so it is a layer-1 blockchain.