Circle | Crypto

The USDC Bridge adds to Circle's Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol, which often sees over $500 million worth of USDC transfers each day. Stablecoin issuer Circle has launched USDC Bridge, a new user interface built on top of the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) that seeks to simplify native cross-chain transfers of the USDC stablecoin. On Friday, Circle’s USDC X account said the bridge allows users to move the USDC (USDC) stablecoin in a “predictable, transparent way,” citing a native burn-and-mint transfer mechanism and no bridge complexities. Gas fees will be handled automatically, fees will be shown upfront, and live status updates will be provided throughout the transfer, Circle added. Read more

USDT stablecoin issuer Tether has stepped in to anchor a massive recovery plan for Drift Protocol, the Solana-based decentralized exchange (DEX) that was crippled by a $286 million exploit earlier this month. However, the rescue package includes a potent commercial string that could challenge Circle's dominance of USDC on the Solana blockchain. According to the recovery plan, Drift […] The post Tether uses $127M Drift rescue to challenge Circle’s grip on Solana payments appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Circle’s Jeremy Allaire sees “tremendous” room for a yuan stablecoin, despite China banning most private yuan tokens and pushing its CBDC to challenge US dollar stablecoins. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire says there is “tremendous opportunity” for a yuan-backed stablecoin, despite Beijing’s formal moves against most private renminbi-linked stablecoins and commitment to its own digital yuan.  Speaking to Reuters in Hong Kong on Thursday, Allaire framed stablecoins as a way for China to “export” its currency by making global payments easier, as digital money becomes more tightly woven into trade and finance, and said the country could roll out a yuan-backed stablecoin within three to five years.  Geopolitical rivalry over money is increasingly being waged in code as much as in central bank policy, and Allaire’s comments sharpen a deeper question: Can governments that clamp down on private digital currencies afford to shun them if they want to compete globally? Read more

Circle defends its hands-off approach to freezing funds as critics point to hundreds of millions in losses tied to delayed action.

The stablecoin issuer faces pressure after a stock downgrade and Drift Protocol exploit fallout, raising concerns over USDC exposure, crypto regulation and market risk. Shares of stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group fell sharply Thursday following a Wall Street downgrade and reports tied to a legal probe connected to a recent crypto exploit. Circle’s stock price closed near session lows in Nasdaq trading, falling 9.9% to $85.10. The decline adds to a broader slide in the company’s shares, which are down nearly 24% over the past month and about 43% over the past six months, reflecting continued volatility after Circle’s high-profile public debut last year. Read more

Circle’s upcoming Arc blockchain is gearing up for quantum resilience, revealing a multi-step roadmap to prepare for the looming threat.

Circle’s Arc blockchain said users will be able to create wallets that withstand future quantum computer attacks from day one.

Circle’s plan to make Arc quantum-resistant comes amid increasing fears that "Q-Day" may come sooner than anticipated. Stablecoin issuer Circle has released a post-quantum security roadmap for its layer-1 blockchain, Arc, aiming to implement solutions across all layers of the network’s tech stack. Circle said on Thursday that it is planning a phased implementation, starting with quantum-proof wallets and signatures when Arc launches on mainnet. This feature will be opt-in, the company noted, while adding that solutions at the validator level and surrounding infrastructure will be implemented later on. “Quantum resilience cannot live only in research papers, exploratory pilots, or distant roadmap slides. It has to show up in the infrastructure,” Circle said. Read more

Circle's biggest selling point may be becoming its biggest liability. On-chain investigator ZachXBT's “Circle Files” allege that the USDC issuer has inconsistently applied its freeze powers. Circle was too slow in 15 cases involving more than $420 million in allegedly illicit funds since 2022, yet broad enough to sweep 16 operational business wallets in a […] The post Circle’s USDC freeze power faces fresh scrutiny after wallets were blocked while stolen funds moved appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Prominent blockchain sleuth ZachXBT alleged faster action by Circle could have limited crypto losses, but freezing asset without legal authorization carries legal risks.

Circle had several hours or days to freeze illicit USDC funds in many of the 15 cases presented, but failed to act, according to ZachXBT. Onchain detective ZachXBT claims that Circle, the issuer of the USDC (USDC) stablecoin, has failed to freeze or blacklist about $420 million in illicit fund flows since 2022. Circle can freeze illicit funds and blacklist wallet addresses, but either took “minimal” action to freeze illicit flows or failed to act in 15 separate hack-and-fraud cases, including those linked to North Korean (DPRK) state-affiliated hackers, ZachXBT said.  The stablecoin issuer allegedly failed to freeze $9 million in USDC from the GMX decentralized exchange (DEX) hack in July 2025, and blacklisted wallets linked to the $200 million Cetus DEX hack in May 2025 after USDC was converted into Ether (ETH), according to ZackXBT. Read more

Stablecoin issuer Circle is facing mounting scrutiny from blockchain researchers after millions of USD Coin (USDC) were stolen and flowed unimpeded through its proprietary bridge during the $285 million exploit of the Solana-based Drift Protocol. The inaction during the April 1 attack, which is now the largest decentralized finance (DeFi) hack of 2026, stands in […] The post Circle under fire as $230M in stolen USDC flows unblocked days after freezing legitimate accounts appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Circle, known for issuing stablecoins including USDC and EURC, is expanding into the Bitcoin space, targeting institutional users. Stablecoin issuer Circle said it plans to launch its own version of a wrapped Bitcoin, which would put it against incumbents Coinbase and BitGo as it targets institutional users.  The asset, called cirBTC and announced on Thursday, is set to launch on Ethereum, backed 1:1 by bitcoin (BTC) and aimed at over-the-counter desks, market makers and lending protocols.  Circle said the asset is designed to provide institutions with a “highly secure and neutral version of wrapped BTC.” Read more

Drift said a durable nonce attack helped drive its Solana exploit, as critics questioned why stolen USDC moved for hours without a freeze. Drift Protocol, a Solana-based decentralized exchange (DEX), confirmed Thursday it was targeted in a roughly $280 million exploit, describing it as a “highly sophisticated operation.” The platform took to X on to share its findings from a preliminary investigation, saying that the attackers exploited Solana’s durable nonces, a mechanism enabling pre-signed transactions, to seize control and drain funds. The protocol had earlier said it was experiencing an active attack and suspended deposits and withdrawals while coordinating with security firms, bridges and exchanges. The attack began on Wednesday, with the theft involving multiple assets, including Circle’s USDC (USDC) and various altcoins. Onchain data later showed that the exploiter swapped the majority of assets into USDC, with the funds later bridged to Ethereum. Read more

Circle, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin, saw its stock plunge 20% this week, erasing $5 billion in market capitalization in its steepest intraday drop since going public. The sell-off happened on the same day Tether announced it had secured a ‘Big Four' accounting firm to undertake a full audit of USDT. According to […] The post A new US rule wiped $5B off Circle — but it may hurt Coinbase more appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Bernstein kept its $190 price target for the Circle stock while Bitwise predicted the company's worth will grow 200% to $75 billion by 2030. Circle Internet Group’s CRCL stock is showing signs of a potential 25% rebound after the market may have reacted too aggressively to fears surrounding draft CLARITY Act language tied to stablecoin yield restrictions. Key takeaways: CRCL is attempting to stabilize above a major support confluence near $100.75. Read more

Tazapay said Circle led a Series B extension that brought total funding to $36 million as the company expands cross-border payment rails. Cross-border payment infrastructure provider Tazapay said it closed an extension to its Series B funding round led by Circle Ventures, bringing the total raised to $36 million. The round included participation from Coinbase Ventures, CMT Digital, Peak XV Partners and Ripple.  Tazapay said on Thursday that the funding will be used to • expand its digital settlement technology for cross-border payments, secure additional licenses, expand across Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and the Americas, and build infrastructure for so-called “agentic payments.” Tazapay said it serves over 1,000 enterprises and fintechs across 30 countries. It holds licences across Singapore, Canada, Australia, and the United States, with active applications underway in the European Union, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. Read more

The stablecoin issuer was accused of freezing 16 hot wallets linked to operating businesses, including crypto exchanges and online casinos. Stablecoin issuer Circle, the company behind the USDC (USDC) dollar-pegged token, wrongfully froze 16 wallets in connection with an ongoing civil legal case in the United States, according to onchain investigator and security researcher ZachXBT. The wallets in question belonged to crypto exchanges, online casinos and foreign currency exchange businesses, which “do not appear related at all,” ZachXBT said.  “An analyst with basic tools could have identified, within minutes, that these were operational business wallets from the thousands of transactions they process,” he said Read more

Analysts say new US stablecoin rules may hit yield distribution, not issuers, as USDC growth in payments and trading continues to accelerate. Circle’s shares sell-off on Tuesday may have been overdone as investors failed to see that the stablecoin issuer’s core business model remains unaffected by the proposed CLARITY Act, analysts at Bernstein said on Wednesday. In a note to clients, Bernstein analysts Gautam Chhugani, Mahika Sapra, Sanskar Chindalia and Harsh Misra said markets are conflating “who earns yield” with “who distributes yield.” “Circle earns. Coinbase distributes,” the analysts wrote, noting that the draft legislation primarily targets the distribution of yield to users — not the underlying reserve income earned by issuers like Circle. Read more

The latest draft of the CLARITY Act hit both stocks, but one analyst says the bill could ultimately shift bargaining power toward Circle and away from Coinbase.