Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire announced in Seoul that the company is exploring the launch of a native token for its Arc Network, a layer-1 blockchain focused on stablecoin applications.
Speaking at a recent company event, Allaire said a token would provide necessary mechanisms for governance, incentives, and economic alignment. He noted the token would also help transition the network to a proof-of-stake system over time.
"We hope to go to mainnet soon," Allaire said, though the company has earmarked 2026 for the launch of the Arc mainnet beta.
Circle aims to evolve Arc into a distributed, community-driven system. The company's roadmap includes expanding validator participation and establishing frameworks for community governance.
Institutional backing for Arc Network
Allaire identified major financial institutions, global banks, and leading technology companies as collaborators on the project. Previous announcements confirmed partners such as BlackRock, Visa, Goldman Sachs, and Amazon Web Services are already active on the Arc public testnet.
The testnet, which launched in October 2025, serves as a testing ground for Arc’s specialized features. The blockchain is designed as an "Economic Operating System" that offers predictable fees priced in USDC and deterministic finality.
Circle is also prioritizing security against future computing threats. The company announced that the Arc mainnet will launch with post-quantum signature support to protect against potential vulnerabilities from quantum computers.
Market reaction to the news was positive, with Circle (CRCL) shares rising approximately 10% to trade above $108. Allaire stated that the company expects to share more details regarding the token and the network's development in the near future.
