Circle launches Arc stablecoin Layer 1 mainnet

Circle’s Arc blockchain is scheduled to open its mainnet on Sept. 16, bringing a stablecoin-focused, EVM-compatible Layer 1 network into public operation after an early testing phase that drew token issuers, trading platforms and private buyers seeking access to Arc-native USDC.

Circle has positioned Arc as infrastructure for stablecoin payments, foreign exchange, lending and capital-markets settlement. The network is designed to use USDC for transaction fees, a structure intended to give businesses a dollar-denominated cost for moving value and executing smart contracts rather than exposing them to a volatile native gas token.

A livestream linked to the rollout is also planned for Sept. 16. The launch will mark the point at which regular users can begin accessing the chain through standard network tools and, once supported, cross-chain routes from other ecosystems.

Otc premiums emerge before bridge access

Arc’s pre-mainnet market has been shaped by limited access rather than open liquidity. With cross-chain bridges unavailable before the public launch, some buyers have used over-the-counter channels to obtain Arc USDC.

Unstable, an OTC venue serving the early Arc market, has offered Arc USDC at roughly a 1.8-to-1 premium against USDC on Ethereum mainnet, alongside a stated 3% fee. Such pricing reflects the scarcity of immediately transferable Arc-native balances before normal bridging becomes available, rather than a change in USDC’s dollar peg.

The premium also creates a sharp divide between access and utility. A buyer paying substantially above par for a dollar-backed asset must expect either early trading opportunities or a continued shortage of on-chain liquidity sufficient to offset that entry cost. Once open bridges and deposits become available, the gap between Arc USDC and USDC on established networks could narrow rapidly if liquidity providers can move funds freely.

Users have circulated manual network settings for wallets that do not automatically recognize Arc. Those seeking to connect should rely on Circle’s published network documentation and official wallet integrations as they become available, particularly during the opening period when unofficial RPC endpoints and copied configuration details can create security risks.

Bridges would open Arc to existing stablecoin liquidity

After mainnet activation, interoperability providers including Across, Axelar, Stargate, Wheelx and Wormhole are expected to add support for Arc, according to the launch information. Warp, a community-used token platform, also lists a bridge page intended to become an on-ramp after its cross-chain function is enabled.

Those connections would determine how quickly Arc can move beyond a closed early-access market. Stablecoin settlement chains depend heavily on the ease with which users can bring in funds, move assets out and arbitrage price differences between networks. A bridge network would also allow applications on Arc to draw on liquidity already held across Ethereum and other chains.

Circle’s design places Arc closer to a purpose-built financial network than a general-purpose chain relying on a speculative native token for fees. The company has emphasized low-cost, secure and compliant settlement, which could appeal to payment firms and financial applications that need predictable operating expenses. It also gives the network a narrower early identity than chains whose activity is driven primarily by broad retail token issuance.

Token platforms race to establish early footholds

Despite Arc’s payments and settlement focus, several token-issuance products have appeared before mainnet access opens. Their early data show a fragmented market where a few platform-linked tokens account for much of the reported activity.

Tolly has attracted attention with a structure that removes the usual “graduation” stage used by many token-launch platforms. It places the full token supply into a USDC liquidity pool that is locked from launch, allowing trading to begin immediately. Tolly reports that three tokens on its platform have surpassed $1 million in market capitalization.

The platform charges roughly 1% in trading fees. For USDC-denominated purchases, Tolly says about 64% of fees go to token creators, 12% to holder rewards and 10% to the protocol, while the balance funds buybacks and burns involving TOLLY and project tokens. The model gives creators a direct claim on ongoing trading activity, though those incentives depend on volume remaining after launch.

Warp uses a more familiar bonding-curve system. Tokens first trade against USDC on a pricing curve, then move to WarpDex once they reach a market capitalization of about $69,000. Liquidity provider tokens are burned after that transition. Warp reports 288 token launches and approximately $2.10 million in cumulative volume, though its own disclosures show that WARP has accounted for much of the trading. Only one project had reached the graduation threshold over roughly six weeks of activity.

Different launch mechanics compete for attention

Long.supply takes a different route by connecting tokenized stock assets from Robinhood Chain to Arc through a custodial mapping bridge. The platform says it holds the original-chain assets through its custody arrangement and issues corresponding mapped tokens on Arc, which can then serve as trading pairs for meme tokens.

Long.supply reports $1.2 million in bridged tokenized-stock value, 487 issued tokens and a LONG market capitalization of $3 million. The model gives Arc users exposure to the platform’s mapped assets, but redemption depends on Long.supply’s custody and settlement process rather than a native Arc bridge.

Archemist focuses on social token creation through an X bot. Its creator fee-sharing can reach 80%, and the product has tested multiple implementations, including Uniswap V3 liquidity and Uniswap V4 Hook features designed for anti-sniping measures, creator follow-buys, buybacks and holder rewards. Archemist reports $468,000 in cumulative volume across about 69 tokens, with more than 75% of activity tied to its ARCH token.

ArcPad has opted for direct deployment rather than a bonding curve. It places the full token supply into a single-sided Uniswap V3 liquidity position across a broad price range and permanently locks that position. ArcPad reports about 30 token launches and roughly $30,000 in cumulative trading volume. Its 1% fee is split equally between the protocol and creators, who may share their allocation with holders.

The early figures suggest that token issuance has arrived on Arc before its broader liquidity infrastructure. Whether those venues retain activity after mainnet depends less on pre-launch scarcity than on the arrival of bridges, reliable USDC flows and applications that use Arc for the payments and settlement functions Circle built it to support.