Market News

Circle, BlackRock, Visa, and AWS Join Forces to Launch Arc Testnet

Circle Internet Group has launched the public testnet for Arc, its new Layer-1 blockchain aimed at transforming economic activity online.

Arc serves as an "Economic Operating System" that connects programmable money with real-world economic activities, facilitating a variety of applications.

The testnet is open to developers and enterprises worldwide, signaling Circle's intent to create a comprehensive financial infrastructure for the global economy.

Backed by prominent collaborations including BlackRock, Visa, and Amazon Web Services, Arc is set to advance innovations in capital markets and fintech.

Circle's CEO, Jeremy Allaire, emphasized that Arc is designed to link local markets to the global economy, facilitating faster and more inclusive financial systems.

With partnerships from major financial institutions, such as Goldman Sachs and BNY Mellon, Arc aims to explore tokenized assets and onchain FX settlements.

BlackRock's Global Head of Digital Assets highlighted the project’s potential to streamline capital markets through stablecoin integration.

Visa is also excited about how Arc could improve onchain infrastructure via stablecoin-based fees and predictive transaction finality.

The network is expected to foster advancements in cross-border payments and programmable finance, integrating capabilities for real-time value exchange.

As Circle evolves toward community-driven governance, the successful launch of Arc represents a pivotal move in bridging traditional finance with blockchain technology.