Native USDC and CCTP V2 Expanding to Multiple Chains

**Circle and Fireblocks announce strategic collaboration** to accelerate USDC adoption among financial institutions. The partnership leverages: - **Arc blockchain** - Circle's new enterprise-grade platform - **Fireblocks Network** custody and payments infrastructure - **Circle Payments Network (CPN)** interoperability **Key benefits:** - Combines Circle's stablecoin network with Fireblocks' institutional infrastructure - Designed to bring more traditional institutions onchain - Focuses on enterprise-grade security and compliance This builds on Fireblocks' previous collaboration with Chainlink Labs for regulated stablecoin issuance, showing continued momentum in institutional crypto adoption. [Read full announcement](http://www.circle.com/pressroom/fireblocks-and-circle-strategically-collaborate-to-accelerate-stablecoin-adoption-for-financial-institutions)

**Paytrie** has gone live on Circle Payments Network (CPN), enabling remittance flows from **Canada to Latin America, Hong Kong, and Nigeria**. The integration offers: - **Stablecoin settlement** for faster processing - **Fiat payouts** for end recipients - Enhanced **compliance and reliability** This expansion follows HifiBridge's earlier launch on CPN for US-Brazil and US-Hong Kong corridors in July. CPN aims to **streamline cross-border payments** by connecting businesses through a unified network. The platform eliminates traditional delays and bilateral banking setups, delivering **internet-speed payments** for B2B and remittance use cases.

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.

**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.

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)