Circle Launches Arc Mainnet, Meme Coin Activity Emerges

Circle has officially launched the Arc public mainnet, positioning it as an economic operating system for payments, foreign exchange, and tokenized assets. While the network features a permissioned validator set including BlackRock, Visa, and DTCC, early activity has been dominated by meme coin trading via launchpads. Arc utilizes USDC for gas fees and settlement, supports EVM compatibility, and aims to integrate tokenized financial products by 2027. Despite Circle's focus on institutional infrastructure, the network's design has attracted retail traders seeking low-friction environments similar to the Robinhood Chain.