New Era? Circle Launches $100B Stablecoin Infrastructure

Circle, the issuer of USDC and EURC stablecoins, is entering the cross-border payments space with its new Circle Payments Network (CPN).

This next-gen infrastructure is designed to eliminate the long-standing inefficiencies in international transactions which are often delayed, high fee and intermediary heavy.

CPN will allow real-time 24/7 transactions using fully backed and regulated stablecoins like USDC and EURC. With the global cross-border payment market projected to be over $100 billion in annual volume, Circle is at the heart of a fast moving financial ecosystem.

The network has robust compliance protocols including Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and enhanced cybersecurity making it attractive to traditional financial institutions and crypto native companies.

Strategic Partnerships Fuel Expansion

To build a global solution Circle is partnering with top tier institutions in banking and fintech. Partners include:

• Banco Santander

• Deutsche Bank

• Société Générale

• Standard Chartered

• Flutterwave and dLocal (for emerging markets)

• Fireblocks and Zodia Markets (for secure integrations)

These partners are not only helping develop CPN’s architecture but also ensuring it complies with local regulatory standards. Their involvement gives CPN global reach and local relevance.

The inclusion of Coins.ph in the Philippines and BCB Group in the UK shows Circle’s intention to deliver local currency settlement and access in key corridors.

Programmable Finance for the Future

What sets CPN apart is its developer friendly ecosystem. Businesses can integrate treasury functions, payroll systems and remittance services directly into the network using smart contracts and modular APIs.

Use cases include:

• Automated payroll processing

• Cross-border remittances with instant settlement

• Onchain treasury management

• B2B international payments

Circle’s CEO Jeremy Allaire says “We want to make money movement as seamless as sending an email. CPN is a step towards that.”

Expected to launch in May 2025 with a limited rollout the network will be open to licensed financial institutions globally. It comes as crypto adoption is gaining momentum in the US with Circle and peers like Coinbase and Paxos reportedly pursuing banking licenses.