Circle has announced the introduction of 11 third-party validators for its Arc blockchain, which is focused on stablecoin payments and on-chain infrastructure for the financial sector. The mainnet's public launch is scheduled for September 16, according to CEO Jeremy Allaire.
Circle welcomes founding validators including BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, Global Payments, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, and Visa, strengthening its ecosystem with over 100 institutional partners.
— Jeremy Allaire - jerallaire.arc (@jerallaire) August 5, 2026
The validators include notable firms such as BlackRock, The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), Galaxy, Global Payments, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, and Visa. Circle will also actively support the network.
During the launch, Circle plans to unveil privacy features, programmable finance tools, support for real-world assets (RWA), and an Agent Stack. BlackRock, BNY, DTCC, and Standard Chartered are exploring integrations with Arc in areas such as tokenized asset settlements, custodial services, stablecoin access, currency operations, and repos.
However, Circle has noted in its disclaimer that the L1 blockchain has not undergone review or received approval from the New York State Department of Financial Services or any other regulatory body.
Mixed Earnings Report
The announcement coincided with Circle's second-quarter report, revealing that revenue and reserve income reached $701 million, reflecting a 7% year-over-year increase.
Circle Q2 2026 Earnings Call https://t.co/jNAzvrQD46
— Circle (@circle) August 5, 2026
This figure fell short of the analysts' consensus estimate of $713.32 million. Nevertheless, the adjusted earnings per share were $0.18, surpassing the expected $0.16, while net income from continuing operations hit $48 million, exceeding the forecast of $43 million.
By the end of the quarter, there were 73.3 billion USDC in circulation, marking a 19% increase year-over-year. The on-chain transaction volume for the stablecoin surged by 151%, reaching $14.8 trillion.
Reserve income grew by 5%, totaling $668 million. A 25% rise in the average USDC circulation partially offset a decline in reserve yield, which dropped by 66 basis points to 3.5%.
Adjusted EBITDA climbed 8% to $143 million. Circle also raised its 2026 forecast for Other Revenue from $150-170 million to $310-330 million, noting that this includes recognized revenue from the ARC token presale.
Circle Expands USDC Infrastructure
In its report, Circle highlighted the growth of the Circle Payments Network. The annual transaction volume in the last 30 days at the end of Q2 reached $14.7 billion, up 76% from the previous quarter. The number of connected financial organizations increased by 29% to 175.
The company also reported that the Agent Stack now includes over 900 paid services, with Circle stating that 99.3% of agency payment volume through x402 is settled in USDC.
On August 5, Circle received final approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish Circle National Trust. Additionally, the New York State Department of Financial Services granted permission to open Circle New York Trust as a limited-purpose trust company for digital assets.
In May, Circle announced the launch of the ARC token, raising $222 million in a presale from a group of investors including a16z crypto, BlackRock, and Apollo Funds, valuing the network at $3 billion.
In July, JPMorgan analysts suggested that the recent agreement between Circle and Coinbase with Hyperliquid could negatively impact the USDC stablecoin and pose risks for the companies involved.