Circle releases the Arc blockchain white paper, with the mainnet expected to launch in the summer of 2026

According to the Arc white paper released by Circle, the Arc mainnet is expected to launch in the summer of 2026, with the testnet having started in October 2025. As of May 5, 2026, it has processed a total of 244.1 million transactions. Arc is positioned as an institutional-focused public Layer 1 blockchain, compatible with EVM, natively integrated with USDC, supporting sub-second deterministic settlement, stablecoin-priced gas fees, and configurable privacy features. Cross-chain transfers are completed through Circle CCTP.

The white paper also reveals that the initial supply of the native token ARC is 10 billion, with 60% allocated to ecosystem development, 25% belonging to Circle, and 15% reserved for long-term holdings.