Arc is an open, EVM-compatible Layer-1 built from the ground up for stablecoin finance, with USDC as native gas and a high-performance consensus engine.
It enables diverse use cases, from cross-border payments and tokenized capital markets to stablecoin FX derivatives and programmable commerce.
Guided by five core principles, Arc promotes openness, multichain alignment, and trusted infrastructure for the next era of stablecoin adoption.
Arc is Circle’s purpose-built Layer-1 blockchain for stablecoin-native finance, offering high performance, instant settlement, and an open, composable ecosystem for global payments and tokenized assets.
WHAT IS ARC?
Arc is an open Layer-1 blockchain, built from the ground up by Circle, purpose-designed for a new era of stablecoin-native applications. Unlike blockchains that simply add stablecoin support on top of existing frameworks, Arc is architected with stablecoin finance in mind from day one, aiming to be an independent yet open ecosystem that delivers stability, high performance, and scalability for both global enterprises and developers.
▶ Visit arcnetwork.xyz to apply for early access.◀
🔍 Key features of Arc include:
USDC as Native Gas: Low-cost, predictable fees priced in USD, eliminating the risk of using volatile tokens for transactions.
Built-in FX Engine: Institutional-grade RFQ system enabling 24/7 price discovery and on-chain PvP settlement.
Instant Finality: Deterministic sub-second settlement powered by the high-performance Malachite consensus engine.
Optional Privacy: Selectively shield balances and transactions to meet user and business compliance requirements.
Full Circle Ecosystem Integration: Native support for CPN (Circle Payments Network), USDC, EURC, USYC, Mint, wallets, smart contracts, CCTP, gateways, Paymaster, and more.
Arc is more than just the home of USDC—it’s designed to host all forms of digital currency and tokenized value. From emerging stablecoin swap protocols to tokenized stocks, commodities, and real estate, Arc provides a secure, flexible, and scalable environment where issuers and builders can confidently launch, collaborate, and expand.
To ensure openness and developer accessibility, Arc is fully EVM-compatible, allowing developers to use familiar frameworks and tools while maintaining seamless interoperability with the broader multichain ecosystem.
With Arc, trusted digital money meets enterprise-grade on-chain infrastructure—laying the foundation for the future of stablecoin finance.
>>> More to read: USDC and Circle: Transforming Global Payments with Blockchain
Arc is an open Layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoin finance.
Explore how Arc delivers the performance, reliability, and liquidity needed to meet global financial demands.
Read the litepaper → https://t.co/g9C6DTgZHj pic.twitter.com/DZbfbag7B6
— Arc (@arc) August 12, 2025
ARC | FROM PROVEN RESEARCH TO OPEN INNOVATION
As a significant step in advancing blockchain infrastructure, the Malachite team from Informal Systems has officially joined Circle, bringing their deep expertise and intellectual property to support the development of Arc and continue the evolution of Malachite.
Informal Systems is recognized for its pioneering work in Byzantine fault tolerance, formal verification, and consensus design. Arc is built on the high-performance Malachite consensus engine, which is now maintained by Circle.
In line with the principles of open source and permissionless innovation, Arc’s core software will be released under a permissive license, enabling the broader developer community to contribute code, extend functionality, and build on its foundation. This transparency is essential to ensuring both innovation without barriers and the long-term reliability of critical infrastructure.
>>> More to read: What is LayerZero & ZRO? How It Works
WHAT CAN YOU BUILD ON ARC?
Arc is designed to enable an entirely new class of stablecoin-native applications. Below are some of the most impactful use cases envisioned for developers building on Arc:
✅ Agency Commerce & Programmatic Payments
With predictable USDC gas fees, sub-second settlement finality, and flexible privacy controls, Arc provides the ideal foundation for automated, logic-driven commerce. Developers can embed verifiable identities and programmable rules directly into payment workflows, enabling use cases such as automated subscriptions, smart procurement processes, and AI-mediated marketplaces. This creates a secure, composable environment where machines can transact transparently and efficiently on behalf of users.
✅ Cross-Border Payments & Remittances
Arc revolutionizes international payments by combining fiat-backed stablecoins with instant, low-cost settlement. This allows businesses to streamline global fund flows and reduce friction in cross-border transactions. For organizations already connected to the Circle Payments Network (CPN), Arc adds a powerful on-chain settlement layer. Its built-in FX engine supports programmatic stablecoin conversions, paving the way for seamless automatic conversion into local currencies.
✅ Capital Market Settlement & Tokenized Collateral
Arc is designed to bring traditional capital market infrastructure—where speed, transparency, and regulatory compliance are essential—onto the blockchain. With USDC and USYC as native assets from day one, it supports instant delivery-versus-payment (DvP) and margin collateralization for a wide range of tokenized financial instruments, including securities, treasuries, commodities, and structured products.
✅ Stablecoin FX Perpetual Contracts
On Arc, developers can build perpetual futures markets focused entirely on stablecoin pairs, allowing traders to take leveraged long or short positions on global currency markets. The platform’s integrated FX engine powers real-time stablecoin pricing, atomic PvP settlement, and robust pricing logic. As more local stablecoin issuers join Arc, these markets will expand with deeper liquidity and broader currency pair offerings.
✅ On-Chain Credit Meets Off-Chain Trust
Arc provides the building blocks for combining stablecoins with real-world trust signals to create robust on-chain credit systems. Developers can design lending protocols that incorporate identity verification, cash flow history, reputation scoring, or external underwriting models—enabling responsible credit access for underserved individuals and businesses beyond the reach of traditional finance.
(Source: https://arcnetwork.xyz/)
>>> More to read: What is USDC?
ARC | PRINCIPLES FOR A NEW ERA OF FINANCE
Arc is more than just a new blockchain—it’s a reimagined approach to building and managing financial infrastructure. Its vision is defined by five core principles:
📌 Purpose-Built, Not General-Purpose
Arc focuses specifically on stablecoin financial use cases, including—but not limited to—payments, foreign exchange, and capital markets.
📌 Open and Composable by Default
Arc is designed not only for enterprise-grade applications but also for the broader developer community. Anyone can build, trade, and integrate within the Arc ecosystem, contributing to its growth and innovation.
📌 Market-Neutral & Multichain-Aligned
By unlocking new use cases, partnerships, and on-chain institutional liquidity, Arc strengthens the broader multichain ecosystem. Circle remains committed to advancing USDC and connecting Arc with stablecoin applications across these blockchains.
📌 Coordination Over Control
Arc brings together fintechs, payment service providers (PSPs), banks, enterprises, and stablecoin issuers to achieve goals greater than the sum of their parts. It is not a closed “walled garden” but an open infrastructure layer designed to usher in a new era of stablecoin finance.
📌 End-to-End Trusted Infrastructure
Built for reliability and long-term operational excellence, Arc follows Circle’s core principles of transparency and trust in its architecture and governance.
>>> More to read: What is Stablecoin ? Stable Virtual Assets
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〈What is Arc? Circle’s Open Blockchain for Stablecoin Applications〉這篇文章最早發佈於《CoinRank》。
