$USDC

- USDC on XRP Ledger: Circle's USDC has officially launched on the XRP Ledger, enabling cross-chain transfers via XRP's auto-bridging feature. This integration allows users to leverage XRP as a bridge currency to transfer USDC between decentralized exchanges, expanding the reach of the dollar-pegged digital asset.

- Circle's IPO: Circle, the issuer of USDC, has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and plans to trade under the ticker symbol CRCL. The IPO is expected to raise up to $624 million, with BlackRock Inc. planning to acquire roughly 10% of the shares.

- USDC Market Cap: USDC has surpassed its previous peak market capitalization, recovering from a collapse triggered by a regional bank run in 2023. The stablecoin's market cap has grown significantly, with Circle minting another 250 million USDC on Solana, pushing its 2025 total issuance to $8 billion.

- Adoption and Partnerships: USDC is gaining traction, with Nubank launching a 4% annual USDC rewards program for stablecoin holders and Circle partnering with Hong Kong Telcom to build customer loyalty solutions backed by Web3 technology.

- Regulatory Landscape: The US regulatory environment is evolving, with the GENIUS Act aiming to regulate stablecoins. However, debates continue around dollar-pegged versus gold-backed stablecoins, with some critics arguing that dollar-pegged stablecoins are temporary fixes.