Circle Launches Arc Testnet with Backing from BlackRock & Visa
Circle unveils Arc testnet with major partners like BlackRock, Visa, and AWS to bring real-world finance onchain.
- Circle launches Arc blockchain testnet for onchain payments.
- Backed by BlackRock, Visa, HSBC, AWS, and Anthropic.
- Arc offers USD-based fees, fast settlement, and privacy controls.
Circle, the company behind the popular USDC stablecoin, has officially launched the public testnet of its new blockchain, Arc. Designed specifically for payments, Arc is built to bridge the gap between traditional finance and blockchain by enabling real-world financial activity directly onchain.
Arc is not just another blockchain — it’s backed by some of the world’s most powerful institutions. Circle named major partners in the testnet including BlackRock, Visa, HSBC, AWS, and AI firm Anthropic. Their involvement shows strong institutional confidence in Arc’s potential to transform how money moves on the internet.
Key Features of the Circle Arc Blockchain
Arc focuses on real-world utility by offering several standout features. Most notably, it uses USD-based fees, which simplify user experience by avoiding the need to hold volatile cryptocurrencies for gas.
Other features include:
- Sub-second settlement speeds, making transactions fast and efficient.
- Optional privacy controls, offering businesses more flexibility with sensitive transactions.
These technical capabilities make Arc a promising option for enterprises seeking to integrate blockchain into their financial operations.
Decentralization and the Future of Arc
While Arc’s testnet is currently operated under Circle’s oversight, the company emphasized its commitment to gradual decentralization. This means in the future, validator participation and governance will be opened to the broader community, aligning with the decentralized values of Web3.
Circle’s strategy to begin centralized and evolve toward decentralization mirrors approaches taken by other successful blockchain projects, balancing reliability in early stages with future community-driven control.
With Arc, Circle is positioning itself as a key player in the next generation of financial infrastructure. Its testnet launch, coupled with support from industry giants, is a major step forward in merging the traditional finance world with the blockchain ecosystem.
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