The crypto exchange integrates Morpho lending into its app, letting USDC users tap DeFi yields of up to 10.8%. Coinbase is rolling out a new way for users to earn yields on their USDC holdings, marking one of the exchange’s first large-scale integrations with decentralized finance (DeFi) at a time of accelerating stablecoin adoption. The company announced Thursday that it is integrating the Morpho lending protocol, with vaults curated by DeFi advisory company Steakhouse Financial, directly into the Coinbase app. The move will allow users to lend USDC (USDC) without navigating third-party DeFi platforms or wallets. Coinbase already pays up to 4.5% APY in rewards for holding USDC on its platform. With the new DeFi lending option, however, users can tap into onchain markets and potentially earn yields of up to 10.8% as of Wednesday, according to Coinbase. Read more
Circle is now a HYPE holder, has introduced native USDC to Hyperliquid and is considering becoming a network validator. Stablecoin issuer Circle is expanding into Hyperliquid with an investment and the launch of native USD Coin on the protocol, as stablecoin competition on the network intensifies. According to a Tuesday announcement, Circle is now a stakeholder in the Hyperliquid ecosystem, directly holding its native cryptocurrency Hyperliquid (HYPE). Circle is also considering becoming a validator for the protocol. The company, which went public on June 5, is behind the USDC (USDC) stablecoin, a digital asset redeemable 1:1 for US dollars. The token will be natively deployed on HyperEVM, Hyperliquid’s smart contract layer. Read more
Circle is embedding USDC into global payment networks as part of a broader push spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Circle has unveiled two partnerships to embed stablecoins settlement into mainstream finance. New deals with Mastercard and Finastra aim to expand USD Coin's role to merchants and banks worldwide. Mastercard said on Wednesday that it will enable acquirers and merchants in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) to settle transactions in USDC (USDC) and Euro Coin (EURC). Arab Financial Services and Eazy Financial Services will be the first to adopt the service, marking the first stablecoin settlement available through Mastercard in the region. Finastra, a London-based financial software provider, also announced on Wednesday the integration of USDC into its Global PAYplus platform, which is said to processes more than $5 trillion in cross-border transactions daily. Read more
Coinbase has revived its fund to boost USDC liquidity in DeFi, starting with supporting the stablecoin on Aave, Morpho, Kamino, and Jupiter. Coinbase is relaunching its Stablecoin Bootstrap Fund first introduced in 2019 to boost the liquidity of the stablecoin USDC in a range of popular and emerging decentralized finance protocols. Coinbase said on Tuesday its first placements will provide USDC (USDC) liquidity into Ethereum-based lenders Aave and Morpho, and Solana-based trading platforms Kamino and Jupiter. “As we scale the fund over time and distribute liquidity across more protocols and stablecoins, we’re particularly eager to collaborate with pre-launch teams or those seeking to drive stablecoin growth from day one,” it added. Read more
USDC issuer Circle introduced its layer-1 blockchain, Arc, and said its Q2 revenue and reserve income increased 53% year-over-year. Circle, a publicly traded US company and the issuer of USDC stablecoin, said it will launch a layer-1 (L1) blockchain compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) later this year. The company released its second-quarter results on Tuesday and announced the introduction of Arc, a new network designed to offer an “enterprise-grade foundation” for stablecoin payments, foreign exchange and capital markets applications. Expected to launch in public testnet, Circle’s Arc will feature USDC (USDC) as its native gas token, enabling users to pay transaction fees with the stablecoin. Read more
Ant Group is reportedly working with Circle to integrate USDC into its blockchain platform once the stablecoin achieves regulatory compliance. Jack Ma-backed Ant Group is reportedly working with USDC issuer Circle to bring the stablecoin to its blockchain, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday, citing anonymous sources. The report said Ant Group plans to incorporate USDC (USDC) into its blockchain after the stablecoin becomes compliant in the US. The timeline for the integration is unknown. The news follows recent reports that Circle has applied to establish a national trust bank in the US that, among other responsibilities, would oversee the firm’s USDC reserve on behalf of its US issuer. The US Senate also passed the stablecoin regulation bill, the GENIUS Act, in mid-June, which would provide legal clarity for stablecoin issuers. Read more
USDC, a US dollar-pegged stablecoin by Circle and Coinbase, is set to become a collateral for US futures trading as part of a joint effort by Coinbase Derivatives and Nodal Clear. Coinbase Derivatives is expanding its partnership with clearinghouse Nodal Clear to bring Circle’s USDC stablecoin into US futures markets as eligible collateral. On Wednesday, the companies announced that USDC will now be accepted as collateral for margined futures trading, a move designed to encourage stablecoin adoption in regulated derivatives markets. The integration is subject to approval by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), with Coinbase Derivatives and Nodal Clear working with the authority to bring USDC to the US futures market. Read more