Circle prepares major infrastructure upgrade to meet rising corporate demand

Circle announced plans for a broad expansion of its stablecoin infrastructure in 2026, centering on corporate use of digital currencies and the rollout of its institutional blockchain, Arc. The company aims to make USDC and its other tokens more practical for daily operations across businesses and financial institutions.

According to chief product and technology officer Nikhil Chandhok, Circle’s top priority is moving Arc from test mode into full production. Arc is designed as a high-reliability L1 network for enterprises and institutional clients that require predictable performance and strict security guarantees.

At the same time, Circle will expand the ecosystem for its tokens – USDC, EURC, and USYC – as well as partner stablecoins, bringing them to more networks and reducing integration complexity. Chandhok noted that the core focus is “deepening native support on high-performance networks” and making the movement and programmability of stablecoins as seamless as possible for businesses.

The company also plans to scale its payments network so that enterprises can use stablecoins for settlements without building infrastructure themselves. Circle expects that in 2026 corporate finance teams will integrate on-chain tools more actively into daily workflows.

USDC remains the second-largest dollar stablecoin with a market cap above $70 billion. USDT holds the top spot with $186 billion. The stablecoin market as a whole surpassed $300 billion for the first time late last year, supported by the rise of new instruments such as Ethena’s yield-bearing USDe.

Regulatory clarity has also played a significant role: the U.S. has passed laws governing the issuance and circulation of stablecoins, and banks and corporations have begun exploring the launch of their own tokens.

Circle’s 2026 focus includes not only technology upgrades but also ecosystem expansion. The company plans to broaden its partner network, streamline developer tools, and ensure smoother operation of stablecoins across different blockchains.

The announcement comes amid broader market volatility: the bitcoin price remains under pressure while corporate interest in stable digital assets continues to grow. For Circle, this creates an opportunity to strengthen the positioning of stablecoins as reliable tools for real-world financial operations.