Architected for stablecoin finance Today, we’re unveiling @Arc: a new blockchain purpose-built for the era of stablecoin finance. But first, my own story. I grew up in Venezuela, where money didn't hold its value. Overnight, hyperinflation could wipe out your savings. You saw the photos, suitcases of cash for paying at the supermarkets. Amidst this chaos and uncertainty, crypto emerged as a lifeline. While much of the world saw Bitcoin and crypto as hype-prone assets with yet-determined utility, we recognized what they truly offered: freedom. Crypto was our way to preserve value. Our way to send money to loved ones. Our way to plan for our future and that of our families. In short, crypto was our way to opt out of a system that no longer worked in our favor. My experience in Venezuela shaped everything for me. It instilled in me an unwavering belief in the promise of crypto as a real alternative to insufficient financial infrastructure. For the last eight years, I’ve worked at @Circle to bring that promise to life by growing USDC to be one of the most widely-adopted stablecoins in the world. Along the way, one thing was always clear: stablecoins alone were just the beginning. Partners seek a way out of the burden of the banking hours cutoff of available payment systems. Developers want a home for their stablecoin applications. Institutions feel the pain of volatile gas fees and lack of privacy controls beyond POCs. We see the opportunity beyond just stablecoins, to stablecoin finance. An ecosystem purpose-built to offer developers, institutions, and builders the most impactful access to build with stablecoins. We have always known the dawn of StableFi was inevitable, but the timing wasn’t right. Until now. Arc is an open L1 blockchain built from the ground up to supercharge what stablecoins unlock: ✔️Fast, global payments ✔️Onchain FX and 24/7 settlement ✔️Institutional trading settlement without cumbersome intermediaries ✔️And whatever else tomorrow’s developers can envision This is stablecoin finance — StableFi. Optimized for trust, usability, and scale, this is a world where money is designed to maintain stable value, flows seamlessly, and is accessible to anyone, anywhere. Whether you’re building a remittance service in Lagos, a savings app in Bogotá, or an FX trading platform in London … Arc is built for you. Arc is made up of many stablecoin components and features we at Circle have envisioned over the years, now in one place: ✅ Built for USDC, and other USD and non-USD stablecoins ✅ EVM-compatible, with fast sub-second finality and low predictable fees ✅ Designed for opt-in privacy ✅ FX-engine for built in liquidity For me, Arc is personal. For you, we’ve built it so you have a stablecoin home. Even with all the innovation over the last decade, we are only just starting to experience the promise of stablecoin finance. It is the connective tissue between crypto’s ideals and the financial system our world needs. Public testnet is coming this fall. If you’re building StableFi, come build with us. It’s time.