Circle Posts $694M Q1 Revenue, Launches $222M Arc Blockchain Raise at $3B Valuation!

Circle reported Q1 2026 revenue and reserve income of $694 million, a 20% year-over-year jump, as USDC circulation hit $77 billion and on-chain transaction volume exploded 263% to $21.5 trillion. The numbers paint a picture of stablecoin infrastructure scaling well beyond payments into the backbone of institutional digital finance.

Alongside the earnings, Circle announced a $222 million ARC token presale at a $3 billion fully diluted valuation. The round was led by a16z crypto and drew participation from BlackRock, Apollo, ICE, and SBI Group — a roster that signals serious institutional conviction. Circle described Arc as institutional blockchain infrastructure built to support AI-native economic activity.

The combination of accelerating USDC adoption and a heavyweight-backed infrastructure raise positions Circle as one of the most consequential buildouts in crypto right now. Watch…