Circle’s new Arc blockchain, a layer 1 network purpose-built for stablecoin finance, will debut with institutional access via integration with Fireblocks.

Fireblocks is a digital asset custody and tokenization platform serving over 2,400 banks and fintech firms. The early integration positions Circle to offer immediate institutional-grade access to Arc, as it looks to broaden access to its stablecoin USDC and take on USDT-issuer Tether.

Arc’s rollout will see a public testnet launch in the fall of 2025, followed by a full production launch before year-end.  The blockchain is designed to deliver faster transaction speeds, lower fees, and flexible development features for enterprise adoption.

“Arc is an opinionated L1 that makes a few big bets and pushes them all the way down into the protocol,” said Sentora cofounder Jesus Rodriguez in a review of the new blockchain.

This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.

“If the internet needed a base layer where the unit of account for value and the unit of account for computation finally match — and where “confirmed” truly means “settled” — Arc is a concrete, engineering‑driven attempt to deliver exactly that.”

In related news, Circle acquired Malachite, a blockchain consensus engine from Informal Systems, to power its Arc network, bringing over staff and IP as it races to dominate the trillion-dollar stablecoin market.