Circle slides after Morgan Stanley downgrade, cut in price target

MarketsCircle slides after Morgan Stanley downgrade, cut in price targetThe bank said tokenized money market funds, Open USD and slower USDC growth could weigh on the stablecoin issuer's earnings.By Helene Braun|Edited by Sheldon RebackUpdated Aug 3, 2026, 2:05 p.m. Published Aug 3, 2026, 1:59 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX iconX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on SummaryShowMorgan Stanley downgraded Circle Internet to underweight and lowered its price target to $38 from $106.The bank cut forecasts for supply of the company’s USDC stablecoin through 2028, citing weaker reserve income and lower-margin revenue.Analysts said growing competition from tokenized cash products and new stablecoin models could pressure Circle's earnings.Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Circle Internet (CRCL) to underweight from equal-weight on Monday and cut its price target to $38 from $106, citing a weaker long-term earnings outlook.The stock, which slid 6% following the report, has fallen about 30% year-to-date, reflecting growing investor concern over the outlook for USDC, the company’s dollar-backed stablecoin and its largest source of revenue.Analyst James Faucette said Morgan Stanley expects slower USDC growth as reserve income comes under pressure and Circle shifts toward lower-margin transaction revenue."We downgrade Circle, as USDC contraction exposes reserve income sensitivity and points to a lower-margin shift toward transaction revenue," Faucette wrote in a research note.The bank reduced its USDC supply forecasts by roughly 33% for 2027 and 44% for 2028, resulting in GAAP earnings-per-share estimates that are about 3% below Wall Street consensus in 2027 and 20% below consensus in 2028.Morgan Stanley also pointed to rising competition from tokenized money market funds and tokenized deposits, which could reduce both USDC balances and the revenue Circle earns on reserves. BlackRock, on Monday, expanded its push into tokenized f…

Circle slides after Morgan Stanley downgrade, cut in price target

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