Circle Launches USDC Bridge to Simplify Native Cross-Chain Stablecoin Transfers
Circle launched its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) on April 26, 2023, enabling USDC to be burned on a source chain and minted in an equivalent amount on the destination chain without lock-and-mint bridges or wrapped tokens. The mechanism can reduce smart-contract risk and liquidity fragmentation in cross-chain transactions while maintaining consistency among native USDC tokens across different chains. It is critical to multichain payments and liquidity management in DeFi.
On April 17, 2026, Circle launched USDC Bridge for retail users, packaging CCTP in a web interface. It initially supported at least 17 EVM-compatible chains, including Ethereum, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Base, Optimism and Polygon. The system automatically handles gas fees, discloses charges upfront and displays transaction progress in real time. At the time, daily CCTP transfer volume often exceeded $500 million.
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The history behind this eventCircle Launches Native USDC and CCTP on OKX’s X Layer
USDC is a dollar-backed stablecoin issued by Circle Internet Group, while X Layer is OKX’s Ethereum-compatible Layer-2 network. Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol, or CCTP, moves native USDC between blockchains by burning tokens on the source chain and minting them on the destination chain. The design reduces reliance on wrapped assets and third-party bridges, limiting liquidity fragmentation and helping developers build payments, decentralized finance and real-world asset applications across multiple networks.
Circle said on Aug. 8, 2026, that native USDC and CCTP were live on X Layer, extending the stablecoin into the OKX ecosystem. Users can transfer USDC across supported chains through direct burn-and-mint settlement instead of locking funds in conventional bridges. Circle said in April 2026 that CCTP had processed more than $140 billion in cumulative USDC transfers and supported over 20 chains. Circle and OKX disclosed no transaction or investment value for the X Layer rollout.
Circle to Buy Tazapay to Expand USDC Cross-Border Payments
Circle issues the dollar-backed stablecoin USDC and is building Circle Payments Network to connect banks, payment providers and digital-asset firms for faster global settlement. Singapore-based Tazapay supplies the local banking links, fiat-to-stablecoin infrastructure and payout rails needed to reach businesses in Asia-Pacific and emerging markets. The companies already had close ties: Tazapay became an early design partner for the network in 2025, while Circle Ventures led an extension of its Series B financing.
Circle said on Sept. 8, 2026, that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tazapay for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close in 2027, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals, including clearance from the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Tazapay connects more than 60 banking and fintech partners and offers local payout rails across over 100 markets. It processes about $25 billion in annualized payment volume, with stablecoins already accounting for more than 60% of that activity.
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