Primary features
Arc is a Layer-1 blockchain protocol developed by Circle Technology Services, designed to power stablecoin-native finance. It integrates native USDC gas payments, near-instant finality, privacy options, and an on-chain FX engine to enable predictable, fast, and compliant financial transactions.
- USDC as native gas for dollar-based fees
- Sub-second deterministic finality
- Optional privacy and compliance controls
- Built-in stablecoin FX and settlement engine
- EVM compatibility for smooth migration
- Optimized for institutional and DeFi use
Work principles
Arc functions through a modular architecture combining stablecoin-denominated fees, a Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus engine, and native liquidity routing. Its Malachite consensus achieves fast finality, while built-in modules handle FX, privacy, and predictable transaction costs.
- Malachite consensus for deterministic finality
- Stable transaction fees paid in USDC
- On-chain RFQ engine for stablecoin FX swaps
- Dynamic fee smoothing to avoid volatility
- Confidential transactions with view-key access
- Smart contract compatibility and interoperability
User benefits
Arc allows users and institutions to operate with stable costs, transparent performance, and integrated compliance. It bridges traditional finance and Web3 by offering familiar accounting in USDC while maintaining the speed and openness of decentralized systems.
- Predictable, dollar-denominated gas fees
- Instant, irreversible transactions
- On-chain currency conversion between stablecoins
- Compliance-ready privacy for regulated entities
- Low volatility and reduced operational risk
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure with open access
