Circle Launches Arc Mainnet With USDC As Native Gas Token

Circle has officially launched the mainnet for Arc, a new layer-1 blockchain built around stablecoin payments and designed to support automated, agent-driven financial transactions.

What Arc Offers

The network uses USDC as its native gas token, offers compatibility with Ethereum’s virtual machine, and provides sub-second transaction settlement. Arc supports more than 20 fiat-backed stablecoins, including USDC, EURC, JPYC and others, while tokenized assets like BlackRock’s BUIDL fund and Circle’s own USYC are available natively on the network. Interoperability with over 20 other blockchains is enabled through Circle’s existing cross-chain transfer tools. Circle’s CEO called the launch the company’s most significant milestone since USDC itself, describing Arc as infrastructure built for programmable money and large scale institutional activity.

Built On Months Of Testing

The mainnet launch follows Arc’s public testnet debut in October 2025, which drew participation from more than 100 companies including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard and Visa. Circle said in August that a similar number of institutional and ecosystem partners had already tested the network’s private mainnet ahead of Wednesday’s public rollout.

The company also completed a genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens this week, though it clarified the mint does not signal plans for a public token launch. Arc currently runs on a proof of authority model, with Circle saying it plans to broaden network participation and explore shifting to proof-of-stake in 2027.