Circle launched Arc, its new Layer-1 blockchain network, on September 16, 2026, positioned as an Economic OS for the Internet. USDC serves as the native gas token on this network, with transaction fees targeted at approximately one cent per operation, all denominated in dollars. The network counts over 100 institutional validators on day one, including BlackRock, Visa, HSBC and DTCC, the latter suggesting potential use in US securities settlement infrastructure. The testnet recorded over 700 million transactions prior to mainnet launch. Circle has minted an initial supply of 10 billion ARC tokens, with a Proof-of-Stake mechanism planned for 2027.
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