TREE NEWS update: Circle’s Arc Layer 1 blockchain went live on Wednesday with more than 100 applications and a founding validator cohort including BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard and DTCC. Gas fees on the network are still charged in USDC. Circle also minted 10 billion tokens it has not promised to sell.
Circle Launches Arc Layer 1 With 100+ Apps, BlackRock and Visa as Validators
The validator lineup is the real story: BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard and DTCC are not crypto-native firms, and their participation signals that tokenized settlement infrastructure is being built with, not against, incumbent rails. Charging gas in USDC keeps the network inside Circle's own monetary perimeter, which matters for any institution already holding the stablecoin. The unpromised minted supply is the loose end worth tracking — whether it stays off-market or becomes a governance question is the open issue.
Generated by AI for reference only.
Share on WeChat
Open WeChat → Scan → then tap "…" to send to a chat or Moments.
Tap "…" in the top-right corner to send to a chat or share to Moments.