Circle Alliance Expands African Payment Infrastructure
Circle Alliance Expands African Payment Infrastructure
💰 Africa goes stablecoin
PretiumApp joins Circle Alliance Program to enable direct USDC payments across Africa.
- Africans can now pay merchants and utilities with stablecoins
- No P2P conversions required - streamlined payment process
- Bridges digital dollars with everyday transactions
This follows similar initiatives by AMINA Bank Global for crypto banking services and Link_IO's cross-border payment solutions in Nigeria and Kenya.
The expansion demonstrates growing stablecoin adoption for practical use cases in African markets, moving beyond trading to real-world commerce.
Circle Alliance Program member @AminaBankGlobal is helping bridge traditional and digital finance with crypto banking. By supporting access to @USDC and EURC, AMINA helps individuals and institutions to transact with confidence across a global infrastructure.
Circle Alliance Program member @PretiumApp empowers Africans to pay with USDC and other stablecoins at merchants, utilities, and more. No P2P conversions needed, bridging digital dollars with everyday life across Africa. circle.com/alliance-progr…
GENIUS Act Becomes Law, Setting Federal Standards for Stablecoins
The **GENIUS Act** has officially become law, establishing the first federal framework for payment stablecoins in the United States. **Key developments:** - Creates clear regulatory standards for the entire stablecoin industry - Builds on principles of trust and transparency that USDC pioneered - Represents the first pro-innovation, technology-neutral federal financial law - Provides a clear path forward for digital money movement Circle, the company behind USDC, views this as a **historic milestone** that enshrines their business practices into law. The legislation aims to strengthen the financial system while encouraging responsible innovation. The new framework positions the U.S. as a leader in digital finance regulation, offering certainty for businesses and consumers in the stablecoin space.
🪙 USDC Expands to Plume
**Circle is bringing native USDC and CCTP V2 to Plume Network**, a Layer-2 blockchain focused on real-world assets. **Native USDC benefits:** - Regulated stablecoin backed 1:1 by US dollars - Institutional on/off-ramps through Circle Mint - Enhanced support for tokenized RWA and DeFi applications **CCTP V2 capabilities:** - Seamless USDC transfers between Plume and other supported blockchains - Secure cross-chain infrastructure with efficient liquidity routing This integration follows similar expansions to XDC Network and Hyperliquid, demonstrating Circle's continued push to expand USDC's reach across specialized blockchain ecosystems. [Learn more about the integration](http://www.circle.com/blog/native-usdc-cctp-v2-are-coming-to-plume-what-you-need-to-know)
Circle Hosts $100K USDC Pitch Competition for Humanitarian Innovation
**Circle announces its sixth Unlocking Impact Pitch Competition** at One World Trade Center on September 21, 4-6pm ET. The competition targets **innovators using USDC and blockchain infrastructure** to accelerate humanitarian aid and drive inclusive growth. **Key details:** - Grand prize: $100,000 USDC - Location: Circle HQ, One World Trade Center - RSVP deadline: September 15 - Focus: UN Sustainable Development Goals Circle has previously awarded **over $500K** to innovators through this program, which connects blockchain technology with humanitarian impact. [Register here](https://www.circle.com/impact-pitch-competition-2025) before the September 15 deadline.
Linea Achieves First-Ever Seamless USDC Bridge-to-Native Upgrade
Linea blockchain completed a groundbreaking transition from bridged to native USDC, marking the first seamless upgrade of its kind. Key highlights: - Over $21M instantly upgraded without disrupting users or apps - No liquidity migration or smart contract changes required - CCTP V2 deployment enables unified cross-chain liquidity - Zero friction for end users during transition The upgrade makes Linea the 19th blockchain with native USDC support, offering: - Direct 1:1 USD redemption for institutional users - Faster cross-chain transfers (seconds) - Day 1 support from major protocols like Aave and MetaMask [Read the full case study](https://www.circle.com/case-studies/linea)