Circle raises $222M in Arc token presale at $3B FDV from a16z crypto, BlackRock and others; Q1 revenue up 20%
Circle raised $222M in an Arc presale at a $3B valuation; BlackRock, Apollo, and a16z invest as Q1 revenue reaches $694M and USDC hits $77B....
Key takeaways
- 1Circle raised $222M for Arc blockchain at $3B valuation with backing from a16z crypto, BlackRock, and others.
- 2Q1 2026 revenue reached $694M (up 20% YoY) and USDC in circulation grew 28% to $77B.
- 3Arc is an EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain using USDC as native gas token with sub-second finality and quantum-resistant features.
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Why it matters
Circle's infrastructure play reduces dependency on Ethereum/Solana and protects against bank-issued stablecoin competition as crypto regulation advances in the US. For Indian retail investors, this signals institutional stablecoin adoption acceleration and validates USDC's growth trajectory in the global market.
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