Circle Internet Group, Inc., the issuer behind the USDC stablecoin, has launched the public testnet for Arc, an open Layer-1 blockchain designed to serve as the “Economic Operating System for the Internet.”Â
The initiative aims to provide a programmable, enterprise-grade financial infrastructure for global markets, blending the stability of traditional finance with the efficiency of blockchain technology.
According to Circle’s announcement, more than 100 financial institutions, fintechs, and technology firms are collaborating in the Arc testnet phase.
Participants reportedly include major players such as BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Visa, Mastercard, and State Street, underscoring the network’s ambition to bridge on-chain and off-chain economies.
Arc offers predictable dollar-based fees, sub-second transaction finality, and configurable privacy options, enabling seamless integration with Circle’s suite of financial products, including USDC and its broader payments infrastructure.
The platform supports diverse use cases across lending, capital markets, foreign exchange (FX), and global payments, allowing developers and enterprises to build and test scalable financial applications.
“With Arc’s public testnet, we’re seeing remarkable early momentum as leading companies, protocols, and projects begin to build and test,” said Jeremy Allaire, Circle’s Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO.
“These companies reach billions of users, move and custody hundreds of trillions in assets, and support local economies across every region. Arc’s purpose-built design connects every local market to the global economy.”
The launch marks Circle’s most significant step yet toward expanding its role beyond stablecoins into full-scale blockchain infrastructure.
By positioning Arc as a foundational layer for financial innovation, Circle aims to establish a unified framework for on-chain settlement, asset tokenization, and cross-border payments, ushering in what Allaire describes as a more open, inclusive, and efficient global economic system.