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Geneva, Switzerland — September 16, 2026 — The Office of Justin Sun today announced the establishment of the Justin Sun Prize, a zero-trust, decentralized academic bounty mechanism based on a “problem list,” with breakthroughs in fundamental disciplines and machine formal verification as the criteria for awarding prizes, and a top prize of up to US$1 million for a single problem. The prize seeks to redefine scientific rewards in the AI era and accelerate fundamental scientific research through collaboration between humans and AI.

The first list of Justin Sun Prize winners was also announced, recognizing solutions and formalized proofs involving 66 mathematical problems. The top prize, worth US$1 million, was awarded to the OpenAI research team in recognition of its solution and formalized proof for the Existence and Smoothness of the Three-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations problem. According to information published by OpenAI, the relevant proof was produced by its internal model, and the Lean formalization and verification were completed by GPT‑6 Astra.

This problem concerns the Navier–Stokes equations, which describe the motion of fluids and are commonly abbreviated as the N–S equations. The equations were developed in the 19th century by French physicist Claude-Louis Navier, Irish-born British mathematician George Gabriel Stokes, and others, and have a history of approximately two hundred years. In 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute listed the Navier–Stokes Existence and Smoothness problem as one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems and offered a US$1 million reward for its solution.

The Justin Sun Prize does not use traditional nominations or credential thresholds as barriers to entry, nor does it operate on a four-year cycle or the rhythm of lifetime achievement. Instead, it ties the prize directly to mathematical problems and machine-verifiable formalized proofs. Anyone can receive the prize as long as they are the first to achieve a qualifying breakthrough.

The vision of the Justin Sun Prize is to become the “Nobel Prize of the AI Era,” responding to the profound transformation of scientific research and incentives in the new era in a more decentralized, formalized, and machine-driven way. The repository of mathematical problems and formalized code will be maintained and publicly updated on an ongoing basis. Once a problem is listed, it is locked in: problems can be added only, never removed; awarded prize funds do not need to be returned under any circumstances.

The current problem list already includes formal verification of the Poincaré Conjecture, the Riemann Hypothesis, Goldbach’s Conjecture, and a large number of unsolved problems proposed during the lifetime of the late mathematician and Wolf Prize laureate Paul Erdős.

In addition to the prize, winners will also receive a certificate and a medal. The edge of the medal is inscribed with the Latin phrase “Quod probatur, solvitur,” meaning “Proved, then paid.”

 
The Justin Sun Prize adheres to three core principles: openness, public benefit, and open source. It is open to all eligible contributors, with no restrictions based on nationality, institution, or identity, and makes no distinction between humans and AI; funds are used exclusively for prize awards and open initiatives and are not intended for profit; the problem list, confirmation standards, proofs, and verification materials are all made available to the public through GitHub, while prize disbursement records are recorded on-chain for permanent traceability and immutability.

 
“An award named after a person is the least political thing in the world,” said Sun. “More importantly, it gives me an answer to myself—my wealth is rooted in mathematics. It came from mathematics, and it will return to mathematics.” 

According to public records, Sun has donated more than US$45 million across technology, environmental protection, disaster relief, and other fields. The Justin Sun Prize will become a central focus of Sun’s philanthropic efforts, continuing to support breakthroughs in fundamental science through an open and verifiable model.

The prize will be paid out in either USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20) based on the recipient’s choice. For more information, please visit www.hejustinsun.com/prize. 

About the Office of Justin Sun

The Office of Justin Sun supports Justin Sun’s global business, philanthropic and public initiatives across technology, blockchain, artificial intelligence, scientific research, investment, art and space exploration. 

Justin Sun is the Ambassador and former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization and the Founder of TRON. TRON is the leading blockchain for the stablecoin revolution, processing over $13 trillion in volume since its inception. In the world’s emerging markets, people rely on USDT on TRON to access the global financial system.

A protégé of Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Sun has been recognized internationally for his work in the digital asset industry, including a Forbes cover profile in April 2025 and multiple appearances on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In August 2025, he flew aboard Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission, becoming the 712th person in history to travel to space. His broader interests span technology, investment, philanthropy, art, gaming, and space exploration.

Office of Justin Sun Contact:

[email protected] 

About Justin Sun Prize 

The Justin Sun Prize is an academic initiative established by Justin Sun to support advances in mathematics, formal verification, and AI-assisted scientific discovery. The prize is decentralized and built around the principle that mathematical work should be judged by the strength, rigor, and verifiability of the proof itself, not the prestige or reputation of those submitting it.

Justin Sun established the prize in his own name as a long-term commitment to return wealth created through mathematics and technology back to mathematics itself. Its legacy is intended to be defined by the body of work it recognizes and the laureates whose discoveries stand the test of time. The prize links clearly defined mathematical challenges to machine-verifiable proof. Its guiding principles are openness, public benefit and open-source access.

Visit https://www.hejustinsun.com/prize for more information. 

Contact:

[email protected] 

@Arc Network has officially opened its public mainnet on September 16, 2026, marking a significant milestone for Circle's ambition to build dedicated financial infrastructure on-chain. The network positions itself as the "Economic OS" for the internet, a base-layer designed for real-time value exchange, stablecoin payments, and what Circle calls agentic economic activity, where autonomous systems and AI agents transact directly on-chain.

Built for Institutions, Open to Developers That validator set carries considerable weight. The lineup represents an unusually institutional starting point for a public Layer 1 launch.

Under the hood,

USDC as Gas and a Broad Ecosystem Stack For institutions and developers already operating in stablecoin terms, this removes a common source of friction and unpredictability.

The network connects to a wide ecosystem of tooling and services, including Arc Studio, App Kits, Arc Portal, Circle Agent Stack, CCTP, Gateway, CPN, and StableFX.

distinct from USDC which handles day-to-day gas and fees.

Sources:
Arc Blog: Arc Mainnet Launches September 16, 2026
Circle Press Release: Founding Validator Cohort and Major Integrations for Arc
GitHub: circlefin/arc-node (open-source repository)

유에스디코인(USDC) 입출금 가능 네트워크 추가 안내 (Arc 네트워크)

Geneva, Switzerland — September 16, 2026 — The Office of Justin Sun today announced the establishment of the Justin Sun Prize, a zero-trust, decentralized academic bounty mechanism based on a “problem list,” with breakthroughs in fundamental disciplines and machine formal verification as the criteria for awarding prizes, and a top prize of up to US$1 million for a single problem. The prize seeks to redefine scientific rewards in the AI era and accelerate fundamental scientific research through collaboration between humans and AI.

The first list of Justin Sun Prize winners was also announced, recognizing solutions and formalized proofs involving 66 mathematical problems. The top prize, worth US$1 million, was awarded to the OpenAI research team in recognition of its solution and formalized proof for the Existence and Smoothness of the Three-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations problem. According to information published by OpenAI, the relevant proof was produced by its internal model, and the Lean formalization and verification were completed by GPT‑6 Astra.

This problem concerns the Navier–Stokes equations, which describe the motion of fluids and are commonly abbreviated as the N–S equations. The equations were developed in the 19th century by French physicist Claude-Louis Navier, Irish-born British mathematician George Gabriel Stokes, and others, and have a history of approximately two hundred years. In 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute listed the Navier–Stokes Existence and Smoothness problem as one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems and offered a US$1 million reward for its solution.

The Justin Sun Prize does not use traditional nominations or credential thresholds as barriers to entry, nor does it operate on a four-year cycle or the rhythm of lifetime achievement. Instead, it ties the prize directly to mathematical problems and machine-verifiable formalized proofs. Anyone can receive the prize as long as they are the first to achieve a qualifying breakthrough.

The vision of the Justin Sun Prize is to become the “Nobel Prize of the AI Era,” responding to the profound transformation of scientific research and incentives in the new era in a more decentralized, formalized, and machine-driven way. The repository of mathematical problems and formalized code will be maintained and publicly updated on an ongoing basis. Once a problem is listed, it is locked in: problems can be added only, never removed; awarded prize funds do not need to be returned under any circumstances.

The current problem list already includes formal verification of the Poincaré Conjecture, the Riemann Hypothesis, Goldbach’s Conjecture, and a large number of unsolved problems proposed during the lifetime of the late mathematician and Wolf Prize laureate Paul Erdős.

In addition to the prize, winners will also receive a certificate and a medal. The edge of the medal is inscribed with the Latin phrase “Quod probatur, solvitur,” meaning “Proved, then paid.”

The Justin Sun Prize adheres to three core principles: openness, public benefit, and open source. It is open to all eligible contributors, with no restrictions based on nationality, institution, or identity, and makes no distinction between humans and AI; funds are used exclusively for prize awards and open initiatives and are not intended for profit; the problem list, confirmation standards, proofs, and verification materials are all made available to the public through GitHub, while prize disbursement records are recorded on-chain for permanent traceability and immutability.

“An award named after a person is the least political thing in the world,” said Sun. “More importantly, it gives me an answer to myself—my wealth is rooted in mathematics. It came from mathematics, and it will return to mathematics.” 

According to public records, Sun has donated more than US$45 million across technology, environmental protection, disaster relief, and other fields. The Justin Sun Prize will become a central focus of Sun’s philanthropic efforts, continuing to support breakthroughs in fundamental science through an open and verifiable model.

The prize will be paid out in either USDT on TRON (TRC-20) or USDC on Ethereum (ERC-20) based on the recipient’s choice. For more information, please visit www.hejustinsun.com/prize. 

About the Office of Justin SunThe Office of Justin Sun supports Justin Sun’s global business, philanthropic and public initiatives across technology, blockchain, artificial intelligence, scientific research, investment, art and space exploration. 

Justin Sun is the Ambassador and former Permanent Representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization and the Founder of TRON. TRON is the leading blockchain for the stablecoin revolution, processing over $13 trillion in volume since its inception. In the world’s emerging markets, people rely on USDT on TRON to access the global financial system.

A protégé of Alibaba founder Jack Ma, Sun has been recognized internationally for his work in the digital asset industry, including a Forbes cover profile in April 2025 and multiple appearances on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. In August 2025, he flew aboard Blue Origin’s NS-34 mission, becoming the 712th person in history to travel to space. His broader interests span technology, investment, philanthropy, art, gaming, and space exploration.

About Justin Sun Prize The Justin Sun Prize is an academic initiative established by Justin Sun to support advances in mathematics, formal verification, and AI-assisted scientific discovery. The prize is decentralized and built around the principle that mathematical work should be judged by the strength, rigor, and verifiability of the proof itself, not the prestige or reputation of those submitting it.

Justin Sun established the prize in his own name as a long-term commitment to return wealth created through mathematics and technology back to mathematics itself. Its legacy is intended to be defined by the body of work it recognizes and the laureates whose discoveries stand the test of time. The prize links clearly defined mathematical challenges to machine-verifiable proof. Its guiding principles are openness, public benefit and open-source access.

Visit https://www.hejustinsun.com/prize for more information. 

Disclaimer

This third-party press release is published substantially as received and does not reflect BeInCrypto's editorial views. BeInCrypto has not independently verified its claims or assessed the suitability, legality or appropriateness of any referenced asset, product or service; publication is not an endorsement. The content is general information, not investment research, financial, investment, legal or tax advice, a personal recommendation, offer or solicitation. Verify all information and seek professional advice where appropriate before acting. Crypto-assets may result in total loss.

USDC issuer Circle has launched the mainnet of Arc, a layer-1 (L1) blockchain targeting stablecoin payments and financial markets, particularly agentic transactions.

Arc uses USDC as its native gas asset and offers Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility and deterministic sub-second settlement finality, according to an Arc blog post on Wednesday.

The network supports more than 20 fiat stablecoins, including USDC, EURC, JPYC, KRW1 and TRYB, while tokenized assets including BlackRock’s BUIDL and Circle’s USYC are available natively on Arc. Arc also offers interoperability with more than 20 blockchains through Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) and Gateway.

CEO Jeremy Allaire called Arc “the single most significant launch in Circle’s history since USDC itself.”  Separately, Circle said in a post on X that Arc was built for “programmable money, global markets, and agentic economic activity,” describing the network as stablecoin-native infrastructure for developers and institutions.

The launch follows Arc’s public testnet debut in October 2025, when Circle said more than 100 companies were participating, including BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard and Visa.

Circle said in August that more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders had participated in Arc’s private mainnet ahead of the public launch.

Arc said it ultimately plans to broaden participation in network operations and explore a transition from Proof of Authority to Proof of Stake in 2027. Circle also completed the genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens this week but said the mint does not represent a commitment to launch the token publicly.

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

Source: Binance EN

This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region. Fellow Binancians, Binance has completed the integration of USDC (USDC) on the Arc network. Deposits are now open. Please find your assigned token deposit address here. The token’s smart contract address on the aforementioned network can be found here. Note: Binance will open withdrawals for the token on the aforementioned network once there are sufficient deposits, no further announcements will be issued.There may be discrepancies between this original content in English and any translated versions. Please refer to the original English version for the most accurate information, in case any discrepancies arise. Thank you for your support! Binance Team 2026-09-16 USDC is an e-money token issued by Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS (https://www.circle.com/). USDC’s whitepaper is available here. You may contact Circle using the following contact information: +33(1)59000130 and [email protected]. Holders of USDC have a legal claim against Circle SAS as the EU issuer of USDC. These holders are entitled to request redemption of their USDC from Circle SAS. Such redemption will be made at any time and at par value.

Circle has launched the public mainnet of Arc, expanding beyond its USDC stablecoin business with a blockchain built for payments, tokenized assets, financial markets, and automated economic activity worldwide.

Circle Takes Arc Mainnet Live With USDC as Native Gas Circle launched Arc as a Layer 1 blockchain designed for real-time money movement and financial applications. The network uses USDC for transaction fees and supports EVM-compatible applications.

Arc also offers deterministic sub-second finality, which allows transactions to reach final settlement quickly. Circle currently operates the network with a permissioned group of institutional validators.

More than 100 applications and over 100 institutional and ecosystem builders are participating at launch. Circle said Arc’s testnet processed more than 700 million transactions before the public mainnet release.

“Arc is the single most significant launch in Circle’s history since USDC itself,” Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said. He described USDC as the company’s first step toward broader internet-based financial infrastructure.

Arc Targets Payments and Tokenized Markets Circle built Arc to support payments, foreign exchange, lending, trading and tokenized financial assets. Aave, Morpho and Uniswap are among the protocols available through the network at launch.

Circle Payments Network and StableFX also connect directly with Arc. StableFX supports round-the-clock currency trading and settlement using several stablecoins, including USDC, EURC, JPYC and KRW1.

Tokenized funds are another part of the network’s initial offering. BlackRock’s BUIDL and Circle’s USYC can support trading, lending and collateral-related activities on Arc.

BlackRock digital assets head Robbie Mitchnick said purpose-built blockchains could support wider digital asset adoption. He said Arc “appears clearly well positioned to serve stablecoin and payment use cases at scale.”

Circle Considers Proof-of-Stake Model for Arc Arc currently relies on institutional validators, with participants joining through a phased rollout. Circle named BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, Visa and Standard Chartered among its founding validator group.

Circle also minted an initial supply of 10 billion ARC tokens. However, the company said the minting does not confirm a public ARC token launch.

The company is planning to transition Arc from the proof-of-work model to the proof-of-stake model in 2027. Under that plan, ARC could do network security, governance and other coordination functions.

Even if Circle follows the new model, USDC will continue to be Arc’s gas currency. Circle is also working on payment and tokenized financial markets infrastructure for Arc, as well as privacy tools and AgentVM.

For more on enterprise-grade networks like Arc, explore how top-tier stablecoin infrastructure platforms power secure and programmable payment systems.

@Arc has integrated with @Pumpfun, the multichain memecoin launchpad, giving users a new way to trade supported Arc assets using $USDC. The partnership also introduces a rewards programme and fee-free trading for retail participants.

What the Integration Offers Through the integration, users trading Arc tokens on PumpFun will earn "Callout Rewards," an incentive mechanism tied to trading activity on the platform. Arc's high-speed infrastructure also enables zero-fee trades for retail traders, lowering the barrier to entry for smaller participants.

Trades are settled in $USDC, which aligns with Arc's broader design philosophy. The use of $USDC as the settlement currency for PumpFun trades is a natural extension of that infrastructure.

Arc's Wider Ambitions

The PumpFun partnership connects Arc's institutional-grade infrastructure to the retail memecoin market. Adding Arc to that ecosystem broadens the platform's reach while giving Arc tokens exposure to one of crypto's most active retail trading communities.

The PumpFun integration arrives at the same moment Arc opens to the public, signalling an early push to build liquidity and user activity on the network from day one.

Together, the collaboration bridges two distinct corners of the market: Arc's focus on compliant, stablecoin-native financial infrastructure and PumpFun's position as a leading venue for speculative token trading.

Sources:
Arc Mainnet Launches September 16, 2026 - Arc Official Blog
Circle Announces Founding Validator Cohort and Arc Integrations - Circle Pressroom
Pump.fun Expands With Multichain Trading Support - Bitcoin World

Circle has launched the public mainnet of Arc on Sept. 16, bringing its USDC-powered Layer 1 blockchain online with institutional validators, more than 20 fiat stablecoins and tokenized funds available from launch.

Summary

Circle launched Arc mainnet with USDC as gas and deterministic sub-second settlement for financial applications. Arc supports twenty-two fiat stablecoins, while BUIDL, USYC, JAAA and JTRSY launch natively at launch. Eleven institutional validators join Circle initially, including BlackRock, DTCC, Visa, Mastercard and Standard Chartered globally. Circle minted ten billion ARC tokens, while stating no public token launch has occurred yet. Circle previously agreed to sell 807.5 million ARC tokens privately for $242.2 million in proceeds. Circle said in itsofficial Arc mainnet announcement that the network uses USDC as its native gas asset, provides deterministic settlement in under one second and supports Ethereum Virtual Machine applications, allowing developers to use Solidity contracts and familiar Ethereum development tools.

The public opening follows an Arc testnet that processed more than 700 million transactions, according to Circle’s launch announcement. Circle’s second-quarter SEC filing had recorded 502 million cumulative testnet transactions and 2.8 million transacting wallets as of June 30, showing that activity continued climbing before the September launch.

Circle Arc mainnet uses USDC for transaction fees Arc’s fee design removes the need for users to hold a separate volatile network asset to submit ordinary transactions. Fees are denominated and paid in USDC, while Arc’s gas documentation says the network is designed to keep costs predictable as transaction demand changes.

The network pairs that model with deterministic sub-second finality. Once Arc finalizes a transaction, the network design does not rely on the probabilistic confirmation periods associated with some other blockchain systems. Arc is running under a permissioned Proof-of-Authority model at launch.

EVM compatibility gives developers access to Ethereum-based tooling without requiring them to rewrite Solidity applications for a separate programming environment. Arc’s mainnet uses chain ID 5042, while USDC functions as its native currency for gas accounting.

Circle has connected Arc with Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol and Circle Gateway, extending asset movement and liquidity access across more than 20 supported blockchain networks. The company says developers can use burn-and-mint and lock-and-mint infrastructure to distribute supported assets between Arc and other chains.

As crypto.news previously reported, Arc combines an EVM execution environment with a stablecoin-denominated fee model and institutional validator structure.

Circle’s Q2 2026 filing with the SEC confirms that the private mainnet started in May. More than 100 partners were participating by July 20 across payments, capital markets, digital assets and technology.

BlackRock, Visa and DTCC join the validator cohort Arc begins public operations with Circle and 11 named institutional founding validators.

Circle’s founding validator announcement identified BlackRock, DTCC, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa and Worldpay, now part of Global Payments.

BlackRock’s digital-assets head Robbie Mitchnick said purpose-built networks can serve specific financial-market uses and stated that Arc “appears clearly well positioned to serve stablecoin and payment use cases at scale.” The statement represents BlackRock’s assessment of the network, not a guarantee of adoption.

Banks working with or building around Arc include BNY, BTG Pactual, HSBC, Lead Bank, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered and State Street, according to the Arc mainnet ecosystem announcement.

Payment firms named in the same launch materials include Mastercard, MoneyGram, Visa, JCB, Global Payments and Thunes.

Crypto.news reported on Circle’s institutional Arc rollout and validator plans, including the involvement of major financial and payments companies.

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire described Arc as the company’s most important product introduction since USDC and said, “USDC was step one. Arc is the network built for what comes next.” His statement describes Circle’s strategy and does not guarantee future network adoption.

More than 20 stablecoins and tokenized funds are available Arc’s day-one asset list includes 22 fiat-linked stablecoins: USDC, EURC, AUDD, AUDF, BRLA, CADD, CHFAU, EURAU, GBPA, JPYC, KRW1, MXNB, QCAD, SEKAU, TRYB, wARS, wBRL, wCLP, wCOP, wMXN, wPEN and ZARU.

Circle StableFX is live on Arc for programmable foreign-exchange activity across more than 20 fully reserved stablecoins. Circle says the service uses atomic payment-versus-payment settlement, while participating market makers provide FX liquidity.

Tokenized financial products available natively include BlackRock’s BUIDL, tokenized by Securitize; Circle’s USYC; and Janus Henderson’s JAAA and JTRSY products. Circle states that these assets can interact with lending, trading and collateral markets available through Arc applications.

Access restrictions still apply to individual products. Circle specifically states that USYC is available only to non-U.S. persons under its Securities Act definition, with further eligibility restrictions possible. Arc’s existence does not remove those product-level requirements.

Circle introduced cirBTC on Arc as a programmable representation of Bitcoin. The company says cirBTC can be converted 1:1 from BTC, cbBTC or WBTC without conversion fees and is intended for collateral and liquidity applications.

On the application side, Aave and Morpho are supporting Arc’s lending markets from launch. Aero and Uniswap provide trading infrastructure, while Circle named a longer group of applications covering swaps, perpetual trading, NFTs and cross-chain execution.

Binance, Bybit, Kraken, KuCoin, OKX, Upbit and several other exchanges are listed by Arc as live access points. Circle said Coinbase is expected to become available later, making its status different from the exchanges described as live on launch day.

Agent wallets and developer tools arrive on day one Circle has placed automated software transactions near the center of Arc’s product design. Circle Agent Stack provides policy-controlled wallets and USDC nanopayments, while Arc Portal allows users to create agent wallets, specify spending limits and authorize defined financial tasks. Arc Studio uses natural-language prompts to generate application components and smart contracts for deployment on the network.

Circle’s launch release cited Dune data showing USDC accounted for 98.8% of agent-driven transaction volume measured in the referenced dataset. The figure relates to the cited agent-payment activity and should not be interpreted as USDC’s share of every autonomous software payment globally.

Arc App Kits provide packaged software components for applications. Onramp Kit supports fiat-to-USDC funding through methods including debit cards and Apple Pay, while Earn Kit connects applications to lending opportunities such as Morpho without requiring users to leave the original interface. Privacy, however, is not fully deployed across the network. Circle’s launch release describesopt-in privacy as “in development for network-wide release.”

Circle has proposed confidential smart-contract infrastructure intended for institutional applications. Circle’s current disclaimer says the scope, functionality and rollout schedule can still be changed, delayed or discontinued.

Arc supports optional post-quantum signatures today, according to Circle, while further protections remain under development. Circle cautions that quantum-resistant cryptography remains an evolving research area and does not guarantee future immunity from security threats.

Circle minted 10 billion ARC but public launch remains undecided Circle completed the genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens in the United States during launch week, creating the network’s planned initial supply. Network transaction fees continue to be payable in USDC. TheARC token whitepaper describes the token as a potential coordination asset for network security, governance and other functions if Arc moves from Proof of Authority to Proof of Stake.

Circle currently points to 2027 for exploring that transition, but its launch documents make clear that the timing and final design remain subject to change. Circle states that the genesis mint “is not a commitment to publicly launch ARC.” Its Arc launch post separately says “No ARC token has been launched,” referring to public availability.

Public availability should be distinguished from Circle’s existing private token-sale agreements.

The company’sJune 30 Form 10-Q says Circle had agreed to sell 807.5 million ARC tokens to institutional investors at $0.30 each, producing approximately $242.2 million in gross contracted proceeds.

Circle had received $222 million by June 30 and booked the presale proceeds as deferred revenue. The private sale implied a $3 billion fully diluted network valuation, according to the same SEC filing.

The initial $222 million round involved investors including a16z crypto, BlackRock, Apollo Funds, ARK Invest, ICE, Janus Henderson and Standard Chartered Ventures. Circle’s subsequent SEC disclosure states that purchasers face lockups lasting at least one year after Arc transitions to Proof of Stake or delegated Proof of Stake, with further transfer restrictions potentially extending until four years after that transition.

Circle activated the public mainnet of its new Layer 1 blockchain, Arc, on Wednesday and minted the full genesis supply of 10 billion ARC tokens in the United States. The company began operations with more than 100 applications deployed and over 100 institutional and ecosystem partners onboard from the start.

Arc’s validator lineup backed by major financial institutionsArc’s founding validator group features prominent names from established finance, including BlackRock, DTCC, Visa, Mastercard, ICE, Standard Chartered, Galaxy, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Sumitomo Corporation and Worldpay, now part of Global Payments. These firms are participating in a phased rollout and will secure the network alongside Circle.

Several banks such as BNY, HSBC and State Street are either live on Arc or exploring the platform. Decentralized finance projects Aave and Morpho are establishing Arc’s credit markets, while Uniswap supports trading functionalities on the chain.

Gas fees on Arc are payable in USDC, a stablecoin with more than $74 billion in circulation. Circle specified that settlements on the network reach finality in under one second and the validator set remains permissioned. Confidential transaction options equipped with view keys are also in development, aiming for a future network-wide launch.

Mini dictionary: Circle is a US-based financial technology firm known for its role as the issuer of USDC, a major dollar-backed stablecoin. Arc is Circle’s proprietary Layer 1 blockchain designed for high-speed payments and stablecoin integration.

Token minting and network designCircle described the minting of ARC as making it “the first publicly traded company to mint a network token for a new layer-one blockchain.” ARC is intended to coordinate security, utility and governance across the network. However, network fees are processed exclusively in USDC for now. The company further clarified that minting ARC “is not a commitment to publicly launch ARC.”

Circle announced that it is considering a transition from its current proof of authority network structure to a proof of stake model by 2027. This exploration could further decentralize the Arc blockchain in the future.

Development milestones and technical compatibilityCircle initially disclosed plans for Arc in August 2025, opened a public testnet two months later, and revealed token plans during an industry event in Seoul in April 2026. According to the company, Arc’s testnet has processed more than 700 million transactions in under a year.

Arc offers full compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing Solidity-based smart contracts from other platforms to run on Arc without modification.

“Purpose-built blockchains can help accelerate adoption of digital asset use cases, and Arc appears clearly well positioned to serve stablecoin and payment use cases at scale,” said Robbie Mitchnick, global head of digital assets at BlackRock, in remarks released by Circle.

FeatureArcEthereumToken used for gasUSDCETHConsensus mechanismPermissioned (exploring PoS for 2027)Proof of Stake (PoS)Initial token supply10 billion ARCNo fixed supplyEVM compatibilityYesYesSettlement finality<1 secondVariable

The Layer 1 charges gas in USDC and runs proof-of-authority across a permissioned set of 11 institutions plus Circle. More than 100 applications are live at launch, with Aave, Morpho and Uniswap anchoring DeFi. Circle minted 10 billion ARC tokens this week without committing to a public launch.

Circle opened the public mainnet of Arc on Wednesday, a Layer 1 blockchain where transaction fees are paid in USDC and blocks are produced by a fixed set of regulated financial institutions rather than an open validator market.

The chain puts block production in the hands of the firms that clear securities and run card rails. BlackRock, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, Galaxy, ICE, Mastercard, MoneyGram, SBI Group, Standard Chartered, Sumitomo Corporation, Visa and Worldpay make up the founding validator cohort alongside Circle, which named them on Aug. 5. Global Payments completed its $24.25 billion acquisition of Worldpay in January.

Circle counts more than 100 applications and more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders live on day one. Its testnet, which opened in October 2025, processed more than 700 million transactions, and the developer program has more than 75,000 Arc House members.

"Arc is the single most significant launch in Circle's history since USDC itself, and it is the embodiment of the premise we have operated on for thirteen years: money should work the way the internet works," Jeremy Allaire, Circle's co-founder, chairman and chief executive, said in the announcement.

Gas In DollarsFees on Arc are denominated in USDC with 18 decimals, and the network has no volatile gas token. Arc's fee documentation sets a base fee target of about $0.01 per transaction and caps the base fee at 20,000 Gwei, using EIP-1559 with exponentially weighted moving-average smoothing so traffic spikes move fees less than they do on Ethereum. Arc's landing page put the average weekly transaction cost at $0.045.

Consensus is proof-of-authority over the permissioned set, running Tendermint BFT through Circle's Malachite implementation. Arc's system overview states deterministic finality in under one second with no reorganization risk, and benchmarks finality below 350 milliseconds and throughput above 3,000 transactions per second with 20 validators. Blocks target 30 million gas at a half-second block time. The chain is fully EVM-compatible, so existing Solidity contracts and tooling work at launch.

Validation is restricted but usage is not. Arc's deployment documentation says developers "can deploy contracts and send transactions without approval," while "a fixed group of known, vetted institutions produce and validate blocks." That page puts the validator count at approximately 20 SOC 2-certified operators across multiple regions. Circle's release names 11 institutions and itself, and says the cohort comes online in phases.

Aave And Morpho Anchor CreditAave and Morpho supply Arc's lending markets at launch. Aave is deploying a V4 market on the chain, and Bitwise, Cumberland, Dialectic, Galaxy, Gauntlet, Keyrock and Steakhouse Financial are supporting it through curated vault strategies, risk oversight and USDC and EURC supply.

"We're doubling down on the Circle ecosystem with a new Aave V4 market on Arc, bringing DeFi's most trusted credit infrastructure to a network purpose-built to bring real-world finance onchain," said Stani Kulechov, founder and chief executive of Aave Labs.

"Arc brings together the speed, stablecoin-native infrastructure, and institutional participation needed to expand onchain credit to a much broader market," said Merlin Egalite, co-founder of Morpho.

Trading runs through Aero Lite, fomo and Uniswap. The wider trading list runs to 1inch, Bankr, Dinari, Doppler, edgeX, Extended, Hibachi, LI.FI, o1.exchange, pools.trade, Pump.fun and Robinhood. Pools, the Uniswap Labs launchpad, said on Monday it had partnered with Arc as a day-one launchpad, and appears on Circle's list as pools.trade.

Binance, Bitso, Bitvavo, Bybit, Gate, Kraken, KuCoin, MEXC, OKX, OSL, Upbit and Wenia provide exchange access. Anchorage, BitGo, Ceffu, Copper, Fireblocks and Zodia Custody provide custody. BNY, BTG Pactual, HSBC, Lead Bank, Societe Generale, Standard Chartered and State Street are the banks Circle names.

The Token Circle MintedCircle completed a genesis mint of 10 billion ARC tokens in the United States this week, and says it is the first publicly traded company to mint a network token for a new Layer 1. Network fees stay payable in USDC. The company describes the mint as a technical milestone rather than a commitment to launch ARC publicly, and says the network is exploring a shift from proof-of-authority to proof-of-stake in 2027.

Allaire first said Circle was studying a token on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call in February, and gave no launch timeline then. The supply figure and the consensus transition were both set out in the ARC whitepaper Circle published in May. That document allocates 60% of the 10 billion tokens to ecosystem uses including token sales, developer grants and network growth programs, 25% to Circle, and 15% to a long-term reserve. It sets early-phase inflation at roughly 2% to 3% a year on a decaying schedule, and gives holders votes on fees, inflation and burn logic while Circle retains control of protocol development, compliance and validator membership.

Circle has already sold ARC. The company raised $222 million in a presale at a $3 billion fully diluted valuation in May, with a16z crypto putting in $75 million. BlackRock, Apollo Funds, ICE, ARK Invest, SBI Group, Janus Henderson Investors, Standard Chartered Ventures, General Catalyst, IDG Capital, Haun Ventures, Bullish and Marshall Wace also bought. Several of those buyers are now founding validators or named partners. Circle has not disclosed what share of supply the presale covered or its vesting terms.

Agents As Economic ActorsCircle is positioning Arc as the settlement layer for AI agents. It says USDC accounts for 98.8% of agent-driven transaction volume and that most agent-to-agent payments settling over the x402 standard have settled in USDC since Circle Agent Stack launched in May. Circle has not published the methodology behind the 98.8% figure.

Agent Stack provides policy-controlled Agent Wallets, Nanopayments through Circle Gateway, and what Circle calls an emerging Agent Marketplace. The Defiant reported when Circle launched Nanopayments across 11 blockchains, which move USDC in amounts as small as $0.000001. Arc Portal lets users fund agent wallets and set spend limits. A component Circle calls AgentVM, which would let agents process sensitive data while Arc records a verifiable log of results, is still in design.

Two developer tools ship with mainnet. Arc Studio is an onchain coding agent that generates contracts, application logic and deployment-ready code. Arc App Kits is an SDK covering payments, swaps, onramps and yield, with yield routed through Morpho.

Twenty-Two Currencies On StableFXCircle StableFX handles cross-currency settlement on Arc. Circle lists 22 stablecoins as active or onboarding, including USDC, EURC, Brazil's BRLA, Japan's JPYC, Mexico's MXNB and wrapped versions of the Argentine peso, Chilean peso, Colombian peso and Peruvian sol. Circle Payments Network is integrated natively into the chain.

Tradeable assets at launch include Circle's USYC money market fund, BlackRock's BUIDL treasury fund tokenized by Securitize, private credit funds and cirBTC, Circle's wrapped bitcoin. Bitwise, Dinari, Janus Henderson, New York Life Investment Management with Centrifuge, Maple, Matrixdock, ProShares and xStocks by Payward are bringing tokenized products to the chain.

Circle says opt-in privacy, using confidential transactions and balances with view keys, is in development for network-wide release rather than live today. Post-quantum signatures are supported now.

CRCL Falls 11% Into LaunchCircle stock closed at $86.30 on Tuesday, down 11.41% on the day, for a market value of $21.91 billion, Stock Analysis data shows. The shares have traded between $49.90 and $159.47 over the past year. Crypto equities fell on Tuesday after the Senate voted 49-50 against taking up the CLARITY Act, short of the 60 votes cloture needed. Republicans had posted what they called the bill's final text the day before.

USDC had a market value of $73.73 billion on $19.9 billion of 24-hour volume, per CoinGecko. Circle's release puts circulation above $74 billion.

Arc's permissioned design has drawn objections since Circle first described the chain. In the open-versus-permissioned debate The Defiant covered on Aug. 12, Adam Cochran, a partner at Cinneamhain Ventures, said "this isn't an L1 and it's offensive to call it such," arguing that "there are never economic incentives to be a faithful validator, and that's why they have to make it a private consortium." Mitchell DiRaimondo, founder of Steelwave Digital, said the design "isn't DeFi, and that's the point." He added: "Bold? Yes. Terrible? Only if you confuse it with DeFi infrastructure."

Circle is streaming a launch event at 2 p.m. ET and has opened Arc Portal to new users.

Market data as of the Sept. 15 U.S. close and 21:00 UTC on Sept. 15.

PANews, September 16, according to The Block, Circle announced the official launch of its Layer 1 blockchain Arc mainnet, with protocols such as Aave V4 lending market, Morpho, and Uniswap available from day one. Circle stated that over 100 applications are available at mainnet launch, with more than 100 institutions and ecosystem builders participating. The Arc public testnet went live in October 2025 and has processed over 700 million transactions in less than a year. On the mainnet, users pay Gas fees in USDC, with transaction finality under one second. The network is EVM-compatible, allowing existing Solidity contracts to run directly. In August, Circle announced the list of founding validators, including BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard, and Visa among 11 institutions, which will join the network in phases.

Circle completed the genesis minting of 10 billion ARC tokens this week but stated that this does not represent a commitment to a public offering, as the company is exploring a transition from PoA to PoS mechanism in 2027. ARC is planned to serve as a coordination mechanism for network security, utility, and governance, while USDC remains the currency for fee payments. Circle and DTCC plan to support the tokenization of DTC custodied assets on Arc starting in the second half of 2027.

Deutsche Bank has confirmed plans to launch an institutional digital-asset custody service later in 2026 with support for Bitcoin, Ether and selected regulated stablecoins, subject to completion of its regulatory process.

Summary

Deutsche Bank plans to launch crypto custody for institutional and corporate clients later this year. Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, EURC and EURAU are among digital assets planned for initial custody support. The service remains subject to regulatory completion, internal approvals, risk management and client onboarding requirements. Deutsche Bank will manage client wallets and private keys using warm and cold storage environments. Tokenized financial instruments remain on Deutsche Bank’s roadmap as the supported asset range expands gradually. Deutsche Bank said the platform will let institutional and corporate clients safeguard digital assets and transfer them to third parties while the bank manages their wallets and private keys. Initial support is planned for Bitcoin, Ether, USDC, EURC and EURAU, according to details released on Sept. 16.

The service will initially focus on clients in Germany, Gerald Podobnik, co-head of Deutsche Bank’s Corporate Bank, told Bloomberg. The target group includes asset managers, hedge funds, custodians, brokers, sovereign institutions, corporates and companies working with blockchain technology.

Deutsche Bank crypto custody will launch with five assets At launch, Deutsche Bank plans to support a selected group of digital assets instead of opening custody to a large number of tokens. Bitcoin and Ether form the crypto component, while USDC, EURC and EURAU are listed among the stablecoins or e-money tokens expected to be supported.

The asset list remains subject to Deutsche Bank’s product approval, risk management and regulatory processes. The bank said future additions will depend on client demand and its internal requirements, meaning the five named assets should not be treated as a fixed long-term list.

EURAU carries a direct German regulatory connection. AllUnity, a joint venture between DWS, Flow Traders and Galaxy, launched the euro-backed token in July 2025 after receiving an electronic-money institution license from BaFin. AllUnity describes EURAU as fully reserved and compliant with MiCA requirements.

USDC and EURC are Circle-issued dollar and euro stablecoins, while Deutsche Bank’s own recent research has examined stablecoins, tokenized deposits and central-bank digital currencies as separate forms of digital money. In a May paper, the bank said financial institutions could eventually help clients navigate between those forms depending on the transaction involved.

Podobnik described digital assets as part of the financial system Deutsche Bank expects to serve through established banking controls. “Digital assets are not a replacement for the traditional financial system but an important complement to it,” he said.

The bank will hold private keys for institutional clients Deutsche Bank’s custody model places responsibility for wallet and private-key management with the bank, reducing the need for institutional clients to develop their own key-management infrastructure. The service will permit transfers to third parties as well as safekeeping.

Its planned security structure includes hardware-based key protection, secure key generation, segregation of duties and multi-person approval for transactions. Deutsche Bank said separate warm and cold storage environments will form part of the architecture, supported by redundant systems and controlled backup and recovery arrangements.

The bank had already disclosed technical work on the platform before the Sept. 16 announcement. A Deutsche Bank recruitment posting for its Digital Asset Custody platform described infrastructure built for Bitcoin, Ether and regulated stablecoins, with security work covering hardware security modules, cryptographic key management, audit trails and incident response.

On Sept. 9, Deutsche Bank published a separate review of institutional digital-asset custody in which Paul Maley, its global head of Trust and Securities Services, said regulated custodians provide security, governance and post-trade infrastructure needed by financial institutions entering blockchain markets. Deutsche Bank’s digital-asset custody report

The same report identified hardware key protection, key fragmentation, multi-person authorization and offline storage as techniques used by institutional custodians to protect cryptographic assets. Deutsche Bank published the report one week before announcing the planned service.

MiCA process still stands between the plan and launch Deutsche Bank has not given an exact launch date. Its Sept. 16 announcement says the custody platform is expected to start later this year once the applicable regulatory process has been completed, while the bank cautioned that timing, geographic availability and asset coverage may change.

For EU banks, MiCA provides a specific route to crypto services. The European Securities and Markets Authority states that a credit institution can provide crypto-asset services through the notification process established by Article 60, provided it submits the required information to its competent authority. ESMA’s guidance for credit institutions under MiCA

Required information includes the proposed program of operations, internal controls and procedures dealing with asset segregation, custody, anti-money laundering requirements and information and communications technology systems. ESMA notes that the notification must remain consistent with the institution’s existing banking authorization under national law.

Germany’s Bundesbank states that institutions submitting Article 60 MiCA notifications send them to BaFin and the Bundesbank. BaFin has separately cautioned that an institution cannot begin a crypto service when its required notification remains incomplete. Bundesbank’s MiCA information

Deutsche Bank previously applied to BaFin for regulatory permission related to digital-asset custody in 2023. The current announcement does not state that all remaining regulatory steps have been completed, which is why the bank continues to condition launch timing on the applicable process.

Taurus and Bitpanda have been part of the custody buildout Deutsche Bank’s current announcement says the platform will use selected external technology and infrastructure companies for defined technical components but does not name those providers. Earlier disclosures offer more detail about companies involved in the bank’s digital-asset work.

In September 2023, Deutsche Bank signed a global agreement with Swiss infrastructure provider Taurus to use its custody and tokenization technology for cryptocurrencies, digital currencies and tokenized assets. Taurus and Deutsche Bank’s original partnership announcement

Deutsche Bank selected Taurus after a due-diligence process as it prepared to offer institutional digital-asset services. The Swiss company continues to identify Deutsche Bank among financial institutions using its technology.

A later Bloomberg report said Deutsche Bank was working with Bitpanda Technology Solutions to build its planned 2026 custody service while continuing its Taurus relationship. Crypto.news reported the planned 2026 launch in July 2025.

Bitpanda has since renamed its institutional operation Bitpanda Enterprise. Its current custody infrastructure supports Bitcoin, Ethereum and major stablecoins and uses hardware security modules, policy-based approvals and audit logs for institutional clients. Deutsche Bank did not identify Bitpanda by name in the Sept. 16 service announcement.

Deutsche Bank already works with Bitpanda in another part of the digital-asset market. Since 2024, the bank has provided German IBAN and real-time payment infrastructure for Bitpanda customers, while serving the company in Austria and Spain for cross-currency banking services. Deutsche Bank and Bitpanda’s existing partnership

Tokenized financial instruments remain on the roadmap Deutsche Bank says the custody platform may later extend beyond cryptocurrencies and stablecoins to tokenized financial instruments, subject to demand, regulation and its internal approval framework. No date has been announced for adding those instruments.

The bank has spent several years testing tokenization infrastructure. In 2024, it joined the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Project Guardian to test an interoperable blockchain platform for tokenized and digital funds. The project included work on servicing digital funds and developing standards for regulated tokenized markets. Deutsche Bank’s Project Guardian work

A June 2024 Deutsche Bank initiative examined interoperability between tokenized assets on public and private blockchains and existing financial infrastructure. The bank said its experiments covered blockchain and tokenization from an asset-servicing perspective.

In its Sept. 9 custody report, Deutsche Bank cited tokenized equities, government bonds, corporate credit and real estate as examples of traditional financial assets that can be represented on blockchains. The bank’s current custody roadmap places such instruments after the initial cryptocurrency and stablecoin offering.

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Not financial or tax advice. PANews content is strictly educational and informational and is not investment advice, financial advice, tax advice, legal advice, or a solicitation to buy or sell any digital asset, security, or financial product. Do your own research and consult qualified advisers.

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PANews, September 15 - According to The Block, on-chain confidentiality protocol Zama will open deposits for 16 confidential vaults on Morpho, covering assets such as USDC, USDT, AUSD, and TGBP. Its first vault launched in June in collaboration with Morpho and Steakhouse Financial, adopting Steakhouse's USDC Prime strategy, with total value locked growing from zero to $40 million within seven weeks. Steakhouse will manage some of the vaults, while Armitage by Wintermute, Flowdesk, RockawayX, and Bitwise will also serve as managers. Users can confidentially access 12 Morpho vaults on Ethereum that already have non-confidential versions, with an additional 4 created specifically for confidential deposits.

Zama also launched the Zama Swap Protocol, allowing depositors to confidentially exchange cUSDC, cUSDT, cAUSD, and cTGBP as well as confidential vault shares on Ethereum without disclosing trade sizes or intentions. Zama stated that positions, balances, and strategies on public blockchains are visible to competitors and front-runners, posing a structural barrier to large-scale institutional deployment. The vaults will first go live via Zama's own application, with Utila, Zerion Wallet, and Yield.xyz set to integrate within the coming weeks.

A software engineer at Coinbase has introduced Stonkfly, an open-source cryptocurrency trading experiment that employs a simulated fruit fly brain to make trading decisions. The project, released on GitHub, leverages a neural model to process visual cryptocurrency market data and generate buy, sell, or hold actions.

Simulated Brain Processes Real Market DataStonkfly gives its virtual fruit fly access to a candlestick chart image depicting live data from Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana trading pairs. Instead of numerical pricing, the model converts visual chart information into brightness and color signals, which are sent to a computer-generated neural system representing about 166,700 neurons connected by 25.6 million synapses. This system outputs trading decisions in real time.

A separate position manager interprets these signals to execute simulated trades, taking into account portfolio cash, cryptocurrency allocations, and trading limitations. Stonkfly imposes a 40% overall portfolio target for cryptocurrencies, capping individual assets at 18%. Developers emphasized that these limits are manually set for the experiment and not learned by the fly-brain simulation.

The project runs on real BTC-to-USDC market data and allows paper trading. For permitted live trading, it can route orders through Coinbase Advanced, but imposes a $10 maximum per order.

Stonkfly’s system sends a new market observation to the simulated brain every minute, while portfolio values on the project’s website update each second based on Coinbase price feeds. This separation ensures rapid price reflection but does not impact the simulation’s learning or trading frequency.

Mini dictionary: Stonkfly — An experimental open-source crypto trading system that uses a biologically inspired neural network based on the fruit fly Drosophila’s brain structure. It receives visual input and generates trading actions.

Dopamine-Inspired Reward System Reinforces TradesStonkfly introduces a simulated reward mechanism inspired by biological learning. When the virtual portfolio’s value changes by at least 0.01 USDC, the system provides a 200-millisecond feedback signal into the simulated reward circuit. Portfolio gains trigger 15 “dopaminergic” cell models, while losses activate two “aversive” cells. These adjustments impact the network’s plasticity, reinforcing or discouraging certain behaviors within the experiment.

According to the developer, this feedback does not prove that Stonkfly can learn a profitable trading strategy, since feedback is based on the entire portfolio’s outcome and not on specific trades. The system lacks information to establish direct causality between a trading decision and its financial result.

Stonkfly’s feedback mechanism is designed as a scientific experiment rather than an investment tool. The developer cautioned, “The system cannot establish that a specific trade was responsible for a profit or loss.”

Open Source and Research-FocusedStonkfly is intended to explore how animal-inspired neural models respond to visual market data and financial incentives, not to provide a proven or validated trading system. Researchers and cryptocurrency enthusiasts with at least 16 GB of RAM and familiarity with Python 3.11 and a C++17 compiler can run the software on both macOS and Linux systems.

The experiment’s significance centers on the unconventional approach of employing an animal nervous system model, rather than attempting to outperform conventional crypto trading strategies.

This project reflects growing interest in biologically inspired AI methods: “Stonkfly is a novelty experiment, not a validated trading strategy, but it may encourage further research using neuron-based systems in crypto markets.”

Stonkfly is purely experimental and does not claim that a fruit fly-derived neural network can predict crypto price movements. Its open-source release is designed to stimulate further development and exploration of biologically driven AI trading models.

FeatureStonkfly SimulatorConventional Trading BotCore ModelFruit fly neural simulationRules or standard AI/MLInput DataChart images (visual)Numerical dataReward SystemDopamine-based simulationProfit/loss without biologyOrder Limit$10 per orderVaries, often user-definedOpen SourceYesDepends on botBroader interest in applying biologically inspired machine learning to financial trading may grow as more researchers experiment with open-source projects like Stonkfly.

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Mutsamudu, Comoros, September 15, 2026 – MEXC, a pioneer in 0-fee digital asset trading, has released its September 2026 Proof of Reserves (PoR) report, audited by Hacken, confirming that user assets remain fully backed across all major reserve assets. The BTC reserve ratio increased to 297%, up from 288% in August. MEXC continues to disclose reserve data on a monthly basis, aiming to enhance transparency and safeguard the security of user funds.

According to the audited report, dated as of the September 10, 2026 snapshot, reserve ratios for all disclosed assets are as follows:

BTC: 297%. Reserves of 12,202.13 BTC cover 4,106.57 BTC in user holdings.

USDT: 119%. Reserves of 1,818,202,910.24 USDT cover 1,526,526,878.38 USDT in user holdings.

USDC: 111%. Reserves of 299,925,929.77 USDC cover 269,894,125.25 USDC in user holdings.

ETH: 111%. Reserves of 58,917.60 ETH cover 53,243.98 ETH in user holdings.

MEXC verifies its reserves through Merkle Tree technology, allowing individual users to confirm their balances are included in the total reserve calculation without exposing other users’ data. For this month’s audit, Hacken conducted a comprehensive evaluation of MEXC’s reserves, covering Proof of Liabilities, Proof of Ownership, Reserves Calculation, and a PoR Assessment. Hacken confirmed that MEXC’s reserves exceed a 1:1 ratio across all in-scope assets, fully covering user liabilities.

“Protecting user assets and earning their trust are fundamental responsibilities, not optional commitments,” said Vugar Usi, CEO of MEXC. “In an industry where confidence has been tested time and again, transparency must be demonstrated through actions that users can independently verify. That is why we publish verifiable Proof of Reserves every month, giving users the ability to validate their asset data at any time rather than simply relying on our assurances. Our commitment is to continue raising the standard for transparency, accountability, and asset protection, and to build the kind of trust that is earned consistently over time.”

To further protect user assets, MEXC maintains the Futures Insurance Fund, which absorbs losses from liquidations triggered by extreme market conditions. The fund held a balance of approximately 798 million USDT as of press time. MEXC also operates The Guardian Fund, a dual-reserve structure combining USDT and BTC holdings that offers full compensation coverage for platform-related issues. It held a balance of $101 million as of press time and plans to expand to $500 million within two years.

To view the latest Proof of Reserves snapshot and audit report, please visit the MEXC Proof of Reserves page.

About MEXC

Founded in 2018, MEXC is a leading global multi-asset trading platform built as your 0-fee gateway to infinite opportunities. Serving users across 170+ markets, MEXC provides simple and efficient access to crypto, stocks, tokenized assets, derivatives, and a growing range of TradFi-linked opportunities through one account and one gateway.

With 0 trading fees, deep liquidity, broad asset coverage, and a high-performance trading experience, MEXC is designed for retail users who want to discover earlier, act faster, and trade with fewer barriers. As crypto and traditional finance continue to converge, MEXC is committed to making global opportunities more accessible, helping users trade freely and MEXCmize every opportunity.

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For media inquiries, please contact MEXC PR team: [email protected]

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This content does not constitute investment advice. Given the volatility of financial markets, including digital assets, tokenized assets, and traditional financial products, investors should carefully assess market conditions, underlying asset fundamentals, and potential financial risks before making any investment or trading decisions.

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Eight US banking trade groups have called on Senate leaders to impose tighter restrictions on stablecoin rewards in the latest version of the Clarity Act, raising concerns that certain exceptions in the bill could allow for interest-like payments, potentially drawing customer deposits away from banks.

Industry calls for overhaul of reward provisionsIn a letter sent Monday to Senate leaders John Thune and Chuck Schumer, the banking associations argued that the Clarity Act’s wording would leave loopholes permitting rewards linked to stablecoin holdings or the time funds are kept, in a manner similar to traditional deposit interest.

Among the signatories were major sector groups including the American Bankers Association, Bank Policy Institute, and Independent Community Bankers of America, representing both large banks and smaller community lenders. The appeal comes just ahead of a Senate procedural vote on the revised Clarity Act.

The letter advocates for several changes, such as eliminating the term “solely” from rules on payments tied to holding stablecoins. The groups also recommend replacing an equivalence test with one based on whether payments are “substantially similar” to deposit interest, aiming to close any gaps that could allow alternative incentive structures.

Signatory groups support a clear distinction between payments for stablecoin transactions and rewards based on account activity, but they claim the current language could be easily bypassed, potentially enabling interest-like payouts that mimic traditional banking products.

One of the industry’s key requests is to remove a provision that would allow permissible rewards to fluctuate depending on a user’s balance, account duration, or tenure. The bankers pointed out that such criteria often determine traditional interest rates and warned this could contradict the bill’s intended prohibitions.

Concerns over impact on lending and deposit safetyBanking representatives argue that enabling such incentives for stablecoin holders could divert critical funds from conventional financial institutions, reducing their ability to extend loans to homeowners, farmers, and small businesses. The letter said community and mission-driven banks could be especially vulnerable but did not offer figures estimating potential outflows or evidence of actual lending impacts so far.

A proposed deposit-flight “circuit breaker,” designed to let regulators intervene if deposit outflows accelerate, was also criticized. The groups described it as reactive rather than preventative, noting it would only trigger after banks already suffered substantial withdrawals.

A circuit breaker that only activates after significant deposit flight fails to provide real protection, the groups asserted, urging Congress to outlaw stablecoin incentives that function like deposit interest before banking system harm occurs.

The letter renewed calls initially raised in May by banking associations, notably to restrict rewards tied to account balances and iterate the need for the “substantially similar” standard for recognizing prohibited incentives.

Policy dispute intensifies between banks and crypto firmsAs the Senate debate intensifies, discussions about the bill have spread beyond Washington, with community bankers in several states demanding stricter limits, while crypto industry supporters advocate keeping reward programs and implementing clear regulatory guidelines.

The contest over stablecoin incentives highlights growing tensions between traditional financial institutions and the digital asset sector regarding the role of deposit-like products and the risks of unregulated competition in the lending market.

In a market where a single Fed decision or a sudden altcoin listing can change everything in seconds, jumping between different apps for charts, news, and portfolio tracking is costing investors money. Smart traders are now utilizing privacy-first tools like CryptoAppsy to consolidate everything. Without even the hassle of creating an account, you get real-time charts, smart price alerts, coin-specific news, and critical macro data all on one screen.

Circle opens Arc public mainnet on Wednesday with 11 founding validators drawn from traditional finance. Traders are already positioning for a meme coin rush at launch.

The setup mirrors Robinhood Chain, which launched in July, pitching tokenized assets before speculative trading took over. Circle built Arc for payments and settlement, yet the same crowd is circling again.

Robinhood Chain Wrote the ScriptRobinhood launched its Arbitrum-based Layer 2 on July 1, around real-world assets (RWA). Retail traders had other plans.

Within a week, meme coins set the pace. Decentralized exchange (DEX) volume hit a record $563.9 million on July 8, per Dune data. Traders created 16,639 tokens on the chain in a single day.

Activity cooled through August before climbing again. The chain cleared $1.06 billion in daily DEX volume on August 29, its first billion-dollar day. The volume also peaked at a new all-time high of $3.7 billion earlier this month.

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Why Meme Coin Traders Are Circling a Payments ChainArc has drawn the same kind of attention. It is a Layer 1 network built by Circle, the issuer of USD Coin (USDC). Gas is paid in USDC rather than a volatile native token, and Circle designed the chain around payments, foreign exchange, and tokenized securities.

The company raised $222 million in an Arc token presale at a $3 billion valuation. The validator set includes BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, Galaxy, SBI Group, and Standard Chartered.

Speculators spent recent weeks mapping Arc launchpads and pre-mainnet tokens. Their wager is that the chain’s opening week resembles the Robinhood Chain trading rush.

“if you’ve been active on CT, you’ve probably already seen people calling it the next Robinhood trenches. Maybe they’re right,” StarPlatinum wrote.

Circle is selling Arc as institutional plumbing. USDC already carries a $74.2 billion market cap, and the first week of trading should show whether bankers or degens get there faster.

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Nu disclosed the two launches on Sept. 10 through a company release and a corresponding SEC filing.

Summary

Nu has launched U.S. financial products through Lead Bank while its own charter remains preliminary. Nu Global converts customer deposits into USDC or EURC and supports transfers across 35-plus countries. U.S. deposit accounts offer 3.50% APY while Nu’s credit card pays 1.5% unlimited cashback initially. Nu Global advertises 3.50% on USDC balances and 2.20% on EURC balances paid daily currently. OCC approval remains preliminary, requiring FDIC approval, Federal Reserve membership and preopening conditions before launch. Nu has begun rolling out U.S. banking products and a separate global account that converts customer funds into USDC or EURC. Users can register for access, although the company release described both offerings as products that will be released in stages beginning Sept. 10.

The U.S. operation provides deposit accounts, debit cards, credit cards and domestic or international transfers through Lead Bank. Nu Global serves cross-border customers through accounts denominated in USDC and EURC, with transfers available across more than 35 countries.

The two products use different legal structures. Lead Bank, a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, provides the banking services behind the U.S. account. Nu Global AG operates through a Swiss regulatory framework and converts deposited funds into stablecoins.

BIG: Latin America’s largest digital bank Nu is launching in the US with a new crypto-focused offering

The US platform will offer a 3.5% yield, cashback, global transfers and crypto trading as Nu expands beyond its Latin American home market. pic.twitter.com/48s7XuUKE6

— crypto.news (@cryptodotnews) September 12, 2026 Nu enters U.S. banking through Lead Bank Nu’s U.S. account pays 3.50% annual percentage yield on available dollar balances. The company says interest is calculated and credited daily, while customers retain immediate access to money placed in designated savings goals.

Deposits are held by Lead Bank and receive FDIC insurance subject to applicable legal limits and eligibility requirements. Nu’s U.S. website states that Nu is a financial technology company, not a bank, while Lead Bank supplies the regulated banking and card services.

A limited-edition metal debit card accompanies the account. Customers can send domestic transfers without a fee, according to Nu, while international transfers will initially cover Brazil, Mexico and Colombia. The company plans to add more countries but has not published a full expansion schedule.

Nu’s Mastercard World Elite credit card carries no annual fee and pays 1.5% unlimited cashback. Customers who meet conditions that have not yet been fully detailed may eventually increase the rate to 2%.

Future account features include a 4.50% APY savings goal capped at $10,000 for customers who pair the deposit account with the credit card and complete qualifying transactions. Since Nu repeatedly uses “soon” for these higher rates, neither the 4.50% yield nor 2% cashback should be treated as available to every customer at launch.

Cristina Junqueira, co-founder and CEO of Nu’s U.S. operation, said the company wants its app to become customers’ primary banking relationship. She claimed that “capturing even a small share of the U.S. market will be transformative for our business,” though Nu has not issued a U.S. customer, deposit or revenue target.

Nu Global converts customer money into stablecoins Nu Global operates separately from the Lead Bank offering. Funds deposited through the global account are converted into Circle-issued USDC or EURC, according to the SEC filing.

USDC balances receive an advertised 3.50% APY, while EURC balances receive 2.20%. Nu says both rates accrue daily. The company has not committed to maintaining either rate for a fixed period.

The account includes a virtual Mastercard for global purchases. Nu says users can spend at competitive exchange rates without an added foreign-exchange markup, subject to the product’s terms and availability in each jurisdiction.

Transfers are initially focused on corridors between Europe and Latin America. Connections with Nu’s systems in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and the U.S. are planned for later, but the company has not supplied individual launch dates. Customers can hold and trade a limited selection of digital assets through the same app, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Nu has not published the complete asset list, supported blockchain networks or withdrawal conditions in its announcement.

Nu Global AG is a member of VQF, a self-regulatory organization recognized by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority. Nu’s website says customer balances are covered by a Swiss bank default guarantee to the extent required by law if Nu Global AG becomes insolvent.

The guarantee is different from FDIC deposit insurance. Nu’s announcement does not identify the guaranteeing bank, state a coverage amount or explain how claims involving changes in stablecoin value would be calculated.

Nu has not identified the source of the advertised USDC and EURC yields in its release or SEC filing. It has not said whether the return comes from issuer rewards, reserve income, lending, treasury assets or a subsidy funded by Nu.

In related coverage, crypto.news reported that yield attached to stablecoins can carry risks outside ordinary bank-deposit protections, depending on which entity produces the return and how customer funds are deployed. Nu has not described its product as a decentralized finance strategy.

Nu’s national bank charter is not yet final Nu applied to establish Nubank, National Association, on Sept. 30, 2025. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency granted preliminary conditional approval on Jan. 29, 2026.

The OCC letter authorizes Nu to continue organizing the proposed bank. It does not permit Nubank, N.A. to begin banking operations immediately. Before receiving final authorization, the proposed bank must meet the OCC’s preopening conditions, obtain FDIC deposit insurance and apply for stock in a Federal Reserve Bank. The regulator retains authority to modify, suspend or withdraw the preliminary approval.

Nu said in January that it expected to capitalize the bank within 12 months and open it within 18 months, as required by the approval process. Those time frames point to regulatory work continuing into 2027 unless the company completes the requirements earlier.

Once authorized, Nubank, N.A. expects to provide deposits, credit, lending and digital-asset custody. The OCC letter says the proposed bank plans to support customer-directed purchases, sales and on-chain transfers of bank-custodied digital assets, along with staking services.

As crypto.news explained in its review of how OCC national charters govern crypto businesses, conditional approval does not equal authorization to begin operating. Applicants must complete capital, management, compliance and operational requirements before receiving final approval.

Nu is using Lead Bank to enter the market while its own charter remains in the organization stage. Customers opening current U.S. products therefore receive services from the partner bank, not from the proposed Nubank, N.A.

U.S. expansion follows Nu’s Latin American growth Nu reported more than 140 million customers across its existing markets when it announced the new products. The company operates in Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, while its parent, Nu Holdings, has traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 2021.

In Brazil, Nu says it serves more than 60% of the adult population. The company describes itself as Mexico’s largest digital bank and Colombia’s fourth-largest financial institution by deposits. Each ranking comes from Nu’s corporate announcement.

The expansion follows Nu’s previous work with digital assets in Latin America. Its Brazilian crypto platform had more than 7 million customers by March 2026, when the company introduced staking-based rewards for Solana.

Nucoin provided an earlier link between the company’s banking and token products. As crypto.news previously reported, Nubank created Nucoin as a blockchain-based customer rewards asset before adding more conventional crypto trading and stablecoin services.

For its latest reported quarter, Nu said net income exceeded $1 billion and return on equity surpassed 32%. Its announcement did not provide separate spending estimates, customer projections or profitability deadlines for the U.S. and Nu Global businesses.

Access will expand through a staged release. Nu said early U.S. applicants may receive limited-edition metal Mastercard cards, while transfers to more countries, enhanced cashback and the higher savings yield remain scheduled for later releases without firm public dates.

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