Circle Launches Arc Blockchain, Mints 10B Tokens

Circle launched Arc's public mainnet on September 16, 2026, and simultaneously completed a U.S. genesis mint of the full initial 10 billion ARC token supply, while explicitly stating the mint does not constitute a commitment to publicly launch or sell the token. The move positions Arc as an institutional-grade Layer 1 blockchain where network fees are settled in USDC rather than a volatile native token, a design choice that keeps Circle's existing stablecoin infrastructure at the center of the new network. What Circle Announced With the Arc Blockchain Launch Circle described Arc as an open Layer 1 blockchain and an "economic operating system for the internet," built to be EVM-compatible and purpose-built for stablecoin and payment use cases. The network launched with more than 100 applications and more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders already participating, alongside a phased founding validator cohort that includes BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa, and Worldpay. For related coverage, see Tether's USAT Stablecoin Launches on Celo in Second Mainnet Deployment. The testnet phase generated considerable activity before the mainnet flip: more than 700 million testnet transactions were processed in under a year, giving Circle data on network behavior at scale before institutions began transacting with real value. That throughput figure underpins the claim that Arc is production-ready rather than experimental. Circle completed the genesis mint of the full initial 10,000,000,000 ARC supply in the United States as a technical roadmap milestone. The company was direct that this is not a commitment to publicly launch ARC. Initial supply minted 10,000,000,000 ARC Circle describes the genesis mint as a technical roadmap milestone, not a commitment to publicly launch ARC. Arc's official documentation confirms the mainnet is live and notes that the network is EVM-compatible, subject to documented differences. The current consensus model is Proof-of-Authority, with Circle signaling a planned transition to Proof-of-Stake in 2027 as the validator set matures. This is not Circle's first step into dedicated blockchain infrastructure; the company had previously outlined Arc's architecture as a platform for scalable finance before mainnet was available. Why the No-Sale Commitment Changes the ARC Narrative The distinction between minting tokens and committing to distribute or sell them is significant. By minting the full 10 billion ARC supply at genesis while explicitly declining to promise a public launch, Circle is creating optionality: the supply exists on-chain, but the legal and regulatory posture for a public token offering has not been established. Circle's release references the GENIUS Act as providing regulatory clarity for its institutional governance model, but no offering approval or sale terms were disclosed.