Circle Q1 revenue rises 20% as Arc secures $3B valuation

Circle reported $694 million in total revenue and reserve income for the first quarter of 2026, up 20% from the same period last year. 

USDC circulation reached $77 billion at the end of Q1, rising 28% year over year, according to Circle’s Monday report.

The company also reported $21.5 trillion in USDC on-chain transaction volume for the quarter, up 263% from a year earlier. Net income from continuing operations fell 15% to $55 million, while adjusted EBITDA rose 24% to $151 million.

Circle said it raised $222 million through an ARC token presale at a $3 billion fully diluted network valuation. The round included a16z crypto, Apollo Funds, ARK Invest, BlackRock, Bullish, General Catalyst, Intercontinental Exchange, SBI Group, and Standard Chartered Ventures.

The company published the ARC token white paper on Monday. It said the token could support governance, security, and network operations on Arc, its planned Layer-1 blockchain for stablecoin payments and institutional finance.

Circle links USDC to AI payments

Circle also announced new tools for what it calls the agent-led economy. The products include Circle CLI, Agent Wallets, and Agent Marketplace, which aim to support USDC-based payments across blockchains and payment systems.

CEO Jeremy Allaire said Circle is building “trusted infrastructure for AI-native economic activity.” That remains the company’s framing, as adoption will depend on developers, merchants, and institutions using these tools at scale.

Meanwhile, recent coverage noted that Circle plans to add quantum-resistant wallets and signatures to Arc when the network reaches mainnet in 2026. The feature will start as optional protection before wider upgrades across validators and infrastructure.

Circle has also been expanding USDC settlement tools. A recent report said its USDC Bridge builds on CCTP and supports burn-and-mint transfers across chains, with more than $20 billion in monthly cross-chain USDC settlements already running through CCTP.

Stablecoin regulation remains part of the backdrop

Circle’s growth comes after its public listing push. Earlier coverage reported that Circle filed to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the CRCL ticker, with an initial share price range of $24 to $26.

Stablecoin rules also remain central to the market. As previously reported, stablecoins benefited from regulatory tailwinds after the GENIUS Act in the U.S. and MiCA in the European Union created clearer rules for issuers.