Blockchain Evolution: From Asset Focus to Infrastructure Revolution

**Historical evidence suggests faster scaling with established stablecoins** Dante Disparte discussed the advantages of building on proven stablecoin infrastructure like USDC in a conversation with Scott Melker on The Wolf Of All Streets podcast. **Key points:** - Established stablecoins provide a tested foundation for scaling projects - USDC is positioning itself as onchain dollar infrastructure for modern finance - Stablecoins are becoming fundamental building blocks for real-world asset tokenization The discussion highlights how leveraging existing, trusted stablecoin networks can accelerate development and adoption compared to starting from scratch.

**Circle Foundation announced its first international grant to modernize UN humanitarian aid infrastructure.** At the World Economic Forum, the foundation revealed support for the UN's Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions, led by UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency). **Key objectives:** - Streamline aid delivery across the UN system - Reduce transaction costs - Enable real-time, cross-border transfers - Increase transparency and accountability The current humanitarian system moves over $38 billion annually but relies on outdated financial infrastructure. The grant aims to upgrade shared financial systems, helping more aid reach recipients efficiently. Circle Foundation was established through Circle's Pledge 1% equity commitment to advance financial resilience globally.

Bitget Wallet, a Circle Alliance Program member, has expanded USDC functionality across its platform. **Key Features:** - Multi-chain swaps and payments - Gas-abstracted trading (users don't need native tokens for transaction fees) - Real-world spending integration - Earning capabilities The integration aims to simplify stablecoin usage onchain by removing technical barriers like gas fees, making USDC more accessible for everyday transactions. Learn more: [Circle Alliance Program](https://www.circle.com/alliance-program)

Circle has released a new crosschain forwarding service, now available for Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) on testnet. The service automates the final step of crosschain transactions, addressing a common pain point in multi-chain operations. **Key features:** - Automates destination-chain execution - Reduces transaction speed and operational costs - Minimizes third-party risk - Improves developer and user experience The forwarding service is part of Circle's broader Circle interop stack initiative to simplify crosschain application development. Developers can now test the service on testnet before production deployment. [Try the service](http://developers.circle.com/cctp/concepts/forwarding-service) | [Read full announcement](https://www.circle.com/blog/introducing-our-new-crosschain-forwarding-service-now-integrated-into-cctp)

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire spoke at the World Economic Forum about stablecoins transitioning from experimental technology to essential financial infrastructure. **Key developments:** - Stablecoin transfer volumes now exceed traditional payment rails - Focus has moved from testing to rebuilding core systems for payments, cross-border flows, and reserve currencies - The shift reflects growing institutional confidence in regulated digital assets The discussion comes as USDC processes nearly $10T in quarterly transaction volume and expands across 30 blockchains, with regulated stablecoins increasingly integrated into mainstream financial workflows.