Circle added the cirBTC token to Gateway on October 23, allowing holders to use a single balance across the Ethereum and Arc blockchains. Transfers burn tokens on the source network and mint them on the destination network, without converting the balance into USDC or transferring native Bitcoin. The advertised access time of under 500 milliseconds applies only after deposit finalization, which takes roughly 13 to 19 minutes on Ethereum; a separate API-independent withdrawal option nevertheless has a seven-day delay. Gateway integration is permissionless, while minting and redeeming cirBTC for native Bitcoin through Circle Mint are reserved for qualified businesses, with fees of 0.01% outside Arc and possible gas charges.
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