@arc, Circle's purpose-built stablecoin blockchain, has hit the ground running. Just one week after its public mainnet went live on September 16, the network is already circulating $624M in $
@arc, Circle's purpose-built stablecoin blockchain, has hit the ground running. Just one week after its public mainnet went live on September 16, the network is already circulating $624M in $USDC and has processed $6.8B in total transfers. The chain uses $USDC to pay transaction fees, removing the need for users to hold a volatile native gas token.
The numbers reflect a rapid deployment of capital onto a network that only recently opened its doors. Circle officially launched the Arc public mainnet on September 16, 2026, marking a significant expansion from stablecoin issuance into operating a Layer-1 blockchain designed for financial markets.Arc uses $USDC to pay network fees, instead of requiring users to hold a separate volatile native token for gas.
The Arc mainnet features major financial firms including BlackRock, Visa, and Mastercard as validators.CEO Jeremy Allaire described Arc as the most important launch in Circle's history since USDC itself.
According to DefiLlama, $385M is currently locked in applications on the chain. @Morpho Blue leads with $211M in TVL, followed by @Aave V4 at $146M. The chain has also recorded $497M in DEX volume over its first week.
Arc passed $300M in total value locked within hours of opening, most of it in lending on Morpho Blue and Aave V4. The continued growth in lending TVL points to institutional capital settling in rather than short-term speculation. Stablecoin supply on Arc sits at $628M, with $USDC accounting for 99% of it, underlining the chain's singular focus on dollar-denominated activity.
By building a purpose-specific chain for programmable, compliant financial operations, Arc aims to extend the utility of stablecoins beyond payments and into real-time settlement, tokenization, and global capital.
Sources:Decrypt: What Is Arc? The Stablecoin Blockchain From USDC Issuer CircleMEXC Crypto Pulse: Circle Launches Arc MainnetNullTX: Arc's DEX Volume Dip Meets $628M in Stablecoins and Growing Lending TVL
