Circle launches Arc public testnet with over 100 institutional participants including BlackRock, Visa and Anthropic

Circle Internet Group has launched the public testnet for Arc, its new Layer 1 blockchain designed for large-scale financial and enterprise applications, positioning it as an "Economic Operating System for the internet." The testnet launch is supported by over 100 organizations spanning banking, capital markets, payments, and technology, including major names like BlackRock, Visa, BNY Mellon, and Anthropic. Arc promises enterprise-grade features such as predictable dollar-based fees, sub-second finality, and configurable privacy, aiming to facilitate global payments, capital markets, and tokenized asset issuance using USDC as the native gas token. The network is integrating key infrastructure providers and exchanges, with Circle's CEO, Jeremy Allaire, emphasizing its purpose-built nature to connect every local market to the global economy.

(Source：The Block)