Circle, a leading digital currency company, has launched a new version of its USDC stablecoin on the Arbitrum network. The new native version of USDC is set to replace the Ethereum-bridged version of USDC that has been circulating until now and is expected to provide a range of benefits for users and ecosystem partners.

The native version of USDC is fully reserved and always redeemable 1:1 for US dollars, which makes it a more reliable option for institutional on/off-ramps via Circle and other partners. Additionally, the upcoming Cross Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) support will eliminate bridge withdrawal delays, and the upgradeable smart contract will allow for future enhancements by Circle.

Users can transfer USDC between different blockchain networks with greater efficiency and reliability. Currently, users who want to transfer USDC from Ethereum to other networks have to go through a bridge, which can result in delays and higher transaction fees. With the integration of CCTP into the Arbitrum Bridge, users can transfer USDC directly between different networks without going through a bridge.

Arbitrum Welcomes Circle

Ahead of the launch of native USDC on June 8th, Arbitrum will be renaming the Ethereum-bridged version of USDC on block explorers as “USDC.e”. There will also be an outreach to ecosystem apps to make the same change in their app User Interface (UI) and documentation.

Furthermore, according to the announcement, Arbitrum will be working with ecosystem apps to provide a smooth transition of liquidity from bridged USDC to native USDC over time. There will be no immediate changes to the Arbitrum Bridge, which will operate normally for bridging USDC to and from Ethereum.

The partnership between Circle and Arbitrum brings significant benefits to both parties. For Circle, the launch of native USDC on Arbitrum provides a new market opportunity and increases the reach and adoption of its stablecoin. With the growing popularity of decentralized finance (DeFi) and the increasing demand for stablecoins, the partnership is expected to drive significant growth and adoption for USDC.

For Arbitrum, the launch of native USDC provides a crucial component for its Layer 2 scaling solution. Moreover, the availability of a widely-used and trusted stablecoin like USDC will make it easier for developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) on the Arbitrum network and to conduct transactions with greater efficiency and reliability.

The partnership between Circle and Arbitrum is also expected to drive innovation and growth in the stablecoin market, which is still in its early stages. As more institutions and users adopt stablecoins for payments, remittances, and other use cases, the demand for reliable and efficient stablecoins like USDC is expected to grow significantly.

Overall, the partnership between Circle and Arbitrum brings significant benefits to both parties and the broader crypto community. It provides a more efficient and reliable way to facilitate transactions and on/off-ramps for institutions and users, and it drives innovation and growth in the stablecoin market. Circle and Arbitrum can leverage each other’s strengths and expertise to create new opportunities and solutions for the crypto ecosystem by working together.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView.com