An affiliate of Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL), the issuer of stablecoin USDC through its regulated entities, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with LianLian Global, a licensed cross-border payments provider, to explore expanding the use of USDC. The partnership will explore opportunities to build stablecoin backed payment infrastructure designed to make international payments more accessible for merchants and digital platforms operating across global market ...

Core Insights - Circle Internet Group (CRCL) is transitioning from a stablecoin issuer to a comprehensive financial infrastructure platform by expanding the adoption of its Arc product, which has seen participation from over 100 global institutions [1][9] Group 1: Arc Development and Strategy - The launch of Arc's public testnet is a significant step in building a broad ecosystem of developers and institutions, prioritizing long-term adoption over immediate transaction fees [2][9] - Arc is integrated with Circle's existing platforms, including USDC and tokenized assets, enhancing network effects and embedding Arc into enterprise workflows [3][9] - The mainnet launch of Arc is scheduled for 2026, with strong institutional interest indicating solid long-term potential for revenue diversification beyond interest-sensitive income [4][9] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Circle competes with Coinbase Global (COIN) in stablecoin distribution and crypto payments, with Circle's fee-based model potentially offering more sustainable growth compared to COIN's cyclical revenue structure [5] - PayPal (PYPL) is another competitor, leveraging its extensive networks for blockchain payments, but Circle's infrastructure-focused approach positions it as a neutral stablecoin provider [6] Group 3: Financial Performance and Valuation - Circle's stock has decreased by 58.4% over the past six months, underperforming the broader Zacks Finance sector [7] - The company is currently trading at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 6.11, which is above the industry average of 3.36, indicating a potentially overvalued position [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate projects a loss of $0.87 per share for 2025, with a forecasted earnings of $0.92 per share for 2026, reflecting stability in earnings expectations [14][15]

Group 1 - Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) experienced a 10% increase in stock price, closing at $83, following Visa's announcement to allow US banks to transact using USDC stablecoins [1][3] - Visa's adoption of USDC is expected to enhance transaction speed, operational resilience, and provide seven-day availability for fund transactions without altering the consumer card experience [2][5] - Initial banking participants, including Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, have begun settling transactions with Visa in USDC over the Solana blockchain, with broader availability planned through 2026 [3][4] Group 2 - Visa's global head of growth products stated that financial institutions are seeking faster, programmable settlement options that integrate with existing treasury operations, which USDC settlement will provide [4][5] - Circle Internet Group has partnered with Visa for Arc, a new Layer 1 blockchain designed to support Visa's global commercial activities on-chain [6]

Core Insights - Visa has announced that it will allow U.S. banks and fintech companies to use Circle Internet Group's USDC stablecoin for settlement transactions, integrating blockchain and stablecoins into the traditional financial system amid a supportive regulatory environment [1] - The initial banks participating in this service include Cross River Bank and Lead Bank, which have begun settling transactions with Visa using USDC on the Solana blockchain, with plans to expand to more U.S. institutions by 2026 [1] - Visa is also a design partner for Circle's new blockchain, Arc, which is currently in public testing, and will use Arc for USDC settlements once it goes live [1] - Circle's stock rose nearly 10% following the announcement, reflecting positive market sentiment [1] Group 1 - Visa's global head of growth products and strategic partnerships, Rubail Birwadker, stated that financial institutions are seeking faster, programmable settlement methods that seamlessly integrate with existing operations [2] - The introduction of USDC settlements has led Visa to launch a "stablecoin consulting business" to provide insights and advice on market fit, strategy, and implementation for banks, fintech companies, merchants, and enterprises [2] - Visa and its competitor Mastercard are exploring stablecoin applications to enhance payment efficiency rather than being disrupted by the technology originally intended for decentralized finance [2] Group 2 - Last month, Ripple partnered with Mastercard and Gemini Space Station to pilot stablecoin settlements on the XRPL [3] - In October, reports indicated that Mastercard was in advanced talks to acquire the crypto and stablecoin infrastructure company Zero Hash [3]

A digital payments giant is embracing stablecoins.Shares of Circle Internet Group (CRCL +9.33%) popped on Tuesday after Visa (V 0.51%) launched a new stablecoin settlement service in the U.S. By the close of trading, Circle's stock price was up nearly 10%. Visa is entering the stablecoin arena Visa's banking partners will soon be able to settle their obligations in Circle's fully reserved, dollar-denominated stablecoin, USDC (USDC +0.00%). The new settlement offering promises faster fund transfers via block ...

Cathie Wood’s investment firm, ARK Invest, ramped up its exposure to crypto-related stocks on Dec. 15, purchasing around $59 million worth of shares as the digital asset sector extended a multi-day decline. According to the firm’s daily trading disclosure, the latest buying spree included about $16.3 million in Coinbase (Nasdaq: COIN), $10.8 million in Circle Internet Group (Nasdaq: CRCL), and roughly $5.2 million in Bullish (Nasdaq: BLSH). ARK also snapped up around $17 million in Tom Lee's Bitmine Imm ...

Group 1 - U.S. stocks experienced a decline, with the Dow Jones index dropping over 100 points on Tuesday [1] - Cementos Pacasmayo SAA – ADR shares surged 47.4% to $10.30 following Holcim's agreement to acquire 50.01% of its owner, Inversiones Aspi. S.A. [1] Group 2 - Rezolve AI PLC reported preliminary December revenue results, leading to a 23.7% increase in its stock price to $2.87 [2] - Emerald Holding Inc announced a review of potential strategic options, resulting in a 17% rise in its stock price to $4.14 [2] - NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc's stock increased by 16.2% to $3.15 [2] - Tilray Brands Inc saw a 15% surge in its stock price to $12.57 [2] - Clearpoint Neuro Inc's stock jumped 14.2% to $14.14 [2] - Fermi Inc gained 11.4%, reaching $9.57 [2] - Sezzle Inc authorized a $100 million stock buyback, leading to a 9.6% increase in its stock price to $72.49 [2] - WW International Inc launched a new platform for the GLP-1 era, resulting in a 7.8% gain to $26.19 [2] - Circle Internet Group Inc rose 7.7% to $81.24 [2] - Lemonade Inc's stock surged 7.4% to $80.59 [2] - Netskope Inc gained 6.9%, reaching $20.37 [2] - Ascentage Pharma Group International's stock rose 6% to $29.26 [2] - RH's stock increased by 5.5% to $172.60, with Barclays analyst maintaining an Overweight rating and lowering the price target from $385 to $283 [2] - Affirm Holdings Inc gained 4.4%, reaching $68.56 [2]

稳定币发行商Circle(CRCL)涨9.2%，报82.41美元。消息买三，Visa宣布在美国推出USDC交割服务，标 志着稳定币在主流金融服务中的整合取得重大进展。美国的发卡机构和收单机构合作伙伴现在可以使用 Circle的USDC与Visa进行交割。(格隆汇) ...

Core Viewpoint - Bitcoin-related stocks experienced a strong rebound, with Bitcoin itself surpassing $87,000, reflecting a nearly 1% increase in a single day [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Strategy (MSTR.US) rose over 3% [1] - Circle (CRCL.US) increased by more than 6% [1] - Coinbase (COIN.US) saw a 2% rise [1] - Robinhood (HOOD.US) gained over 3% [1] - MARA Holdings (MARA.US) went up by more than 2% [1] - RIOT Platforms (RIOT.US) experienced a 0.5% increase [1] Group 2: Bitcoin Price Movement - Bitcoin returned above $87,000, marking a daily increase of nearly 1% [1]

Industry Overview - The global payment landscape is rapidly evolving due to digitalization, technological innovation, regulatory changes, and shifting consumer expectations, leading to the rise of alternative payment methods such as account-to-account payments, real-time payments, digital wallets, and cryptocurrencies [2] - The digital payment market was valued at approximately $114.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $361.3 billion by 2030, indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.4% from 2025 to 2030 [3] - Digital wallets are expected to capture a larger share of global commerce, with payment revenues continuing to rise as the economy shifts towards cashless transactions [5] Company Insights: SoFi Technologies, Inc. - SoFi is positioned as a member-centric financial services provider, focusing on online banking and a broad product ecosystem, which allows it to benefit from the increasing demand for digital financial platforms [6][7] - The company is experiencing growth due to lower interest rates, which enhance its lending business, and its innovative approach, including new product launches and strategic partnerships [8] - SoFi's earnings are projected to increase significantly, with a 140% year-over-year jump expected in 2025 and a 62.9% increase in 2026, while its shares have risen by 78.9% in the past six months [11] Company Insights: Block, Inc. - Block, known for its Cash App, is expanding its offerings beyond payments to include banking, commerce, and investing, which has contributed to its growth [12][14] - The company has introduced new features like Square AI and Cash Advance programs, enhancing its service offerings and user engagement [13] - Despite strong performance, Block faces challenges from economic uncertainty and competition, which may impact transaction volumes and margins [15] Company Insights: Circle Internet Group - Circle operates as a platform for stablecoin and blockchain applications, primarily known for its USDC stablecoin, which is fully backed by U.S. Treasuries [17][18] - The company is experiencing growth through its Circle Payments Network, which has reached an annualized transaction volume of $3.4 billion, and its Layer-1 blockchain, Arc, is gaining traction [19] - Circle's profitability is affected by interest rates, regulatory changes, and competition, with earnings projected to surge by 205.3% in 2026 [21]