Circle Launches Arc Testnet with BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Visa, and 100+ Global Institutions

• Circle launches the Arc public testnet, a next-gen layer-1 blockchain designed to bring global financial infrastructure onchain.
• Over 100 leading institutions are participating, including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Visa, Mastercard, State Street, Deutsche Bank, and Apollo.
• Arc aims to be an “Economic Operating System for the Internet,” with US dollar-based fees, sub-second finality, and optional privacy controls.
• The network integrates directly with Circle’s USDC stablecoin and supports global payments, lending, capital markets, and FX trading.
• JPYC (Japan), BRLA (Brazil), MXNB (Mexico), and PHPC (Philippines) are among seven issuers testing fiat-pegged tokens on Arc.
• Developer tools and AI integration via Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK will enhance the developer experience.
• Circle plans to transition Arc into a community-governed network with expanded validator participation and transparent governance.

Circle, the issuer behind the world’s second-largest stablecoin USDC, has officially launched the public testnet of its new layer-1 blockchain, Arc, marking one of the biggest institutional entries into Web3 infrastructure yet.

The rollout — described by Circle as the “Economic Operating System for the Internet” — features participation from over 100 global financial giants, including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Visa, Mastercard, State Street, Deutsche Bank, and Apollo, according to a company announcement on Tuesday.

Major crypto platforms participate in Arc testnet. Source: Circle

“Arc is already showing remarkable early momentum as leading institutions, protocols, and projects begin to build and test,” said Jeremy Allaire, CEO of Circle. “Together, these companies reach billions of users and move hundreds of trillions in assets and payments.”

Arc: A New Financial Backbone for the Internet

The Arc blockchain is designed to provide predictable US dollar-based fees, sub-second transaction finality, and optional privacy controls — all while being directly integrated with Circle’s USDC stablecoin and payments infrastructure.

Arc’s architecture supports a wide spectrum of financial applications, including lending, capital markets, foreign exchange (FX), and global payments — aiming to bridge the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and Web3.

Circle said that Arc’s purpose-built design enables local markets across Africa, the Americas, and Asia to connect seamlessly through a single interoperable network.

Participation in the Arc testnet includes some of the biggest names in global finance and payments — from BNY Mellon and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to FIS, Paysafe, and Nuvei.

Circle emphasized that Arc is meant to provide enterprise-grade infrastructure that allows banks, fintech firms, and Web3-native projects to interact on a shared blockchain network.

The testnet also includes fiat-pegged tokens from seven countries, with early issuers such as:

• JPYC (Japan)
• BRLA (Brazil)
• MXNB (Mexico)
• PHPC (Philippines)

These tokens will help drive cross-border liquidity, tokenized fund issuance, and stablecoin-powered FX markets within Arc’s ecosystem.

Beyond Finance: Developer Tools and AI Integration

Arc’s ecosystem extends beyond the financial sector, integrating with major Web3 developer tools and infrastructure providers like MetaMask, Fireblocks, Chainlink, Alchemy, LayerZero, and cross-chain bridges such as Wormhole and Stargate.

In a forward-looking move, AI integration is also part of the roadmap. Anthropic’s Claude Agent SDK will be used to create AI-powered tools for developers, improving testing, deployment, and network monitoring.

Circle’s long-term goal for Arc is to transition it into a community-governed network, expanding validator participation and ensuring transparent, decentralized governance.

Allaire said the project’s purpose is to “connect every local market to the global economy”, giving any company the ability to build financial products on enterprise-grade blockchain infrastructure.

Arc will use USDC as its native gas token, with private stablecoins also being developed to operate on the network, according to a recent announcement from Allaire.

A Major Leap Toward Onchain Global Finance

With Arc, Circle is not just building another blockchain — it’s creating a global financial operating system that blends institutional credibility with onchain innovation.

The participation of giants like BlackRock, Visa, and Goldman Sachs demonstrates a significant shift toward blockchain adoption in traditional finance, positioning Circle’s Arc as a potential core pillar of the next-generation digital economy.