Circle · Tether · Standard Chartered · CryptoSlate
Circle opens Arc mainnet as it seeks an edge for USDC utility
Compiled by KHAO Editorial — aggregated from 1 source. See llms.txt for citation guidance.
◌ Single Source
Circle has scheduled the public launch of Arc for Sept. 16, giving USDC a network where the same dollar balance can fund both payments and transaction fees.
Key facts
- Circle reported $73.3 billion of USDC in circulation at the end of June, while Tether reported approximately $184.6 billion of USDT issued at the same quarter-end
- USDC is -0.01% over the past 24 hours and currently sits at rank # 6 by market cap
- The public-mainnet rollout follows a private network that Circle said had more than 100 ecosystem and institutional builders in August
- Arc is a layer-1 blockchain, meaning it operates its own network
Summary
01 Circle launches Arc on Sept. 16, using one USDC balance for payments and network fees. 02 Arc removes the need for a second gas token, potentially simplifying stablecoin payments and onboarding. 03 Public activity may only shift existing USDC to Arc, not close the gap with Tether. The public-mainnet rollout follows a private network that Circle said had more than 100 ecosystem and institutional builders in August.