The Centre Consortium, co-founded by Circle and Coinbase, announced that Stellar is now an official blockchain for USD Coin (USDC). USDC is expected to be available on Stellar in Q1 2021. Stellar is the third blockchain with native support for USDC.
Support for USDC on Stellar comes as both have reported steady and significant growth. USDC has experienced more than 500 percent growth in the past six months and has grown to over 2.8 billion USDC in circulation. The Stellar network, which is used by financial institutions around the world to provide borderless access to financial infrastructure, has over 4.6 million accounts, an average ledger close time of 5 seconds, and has processed over 1 billion operations since its launch. Developers and end-users that are a part of the Stellar network will be able to leverage USDC to make efficient transactions on Stellar.
Denelle Dixon, CEO and Executive Director of the Stellar Development Foundation said: “We look forward to bringing such a reputable and engaged USD asset to the Stellar network. At the Stellar Development Foundation, we are focused on creating equitable access to the financial system by building a global network that delivers services to users regardless of their geography. The addition of USDC to Stellar will allow us to continue to expand our global reach in pursuit of this mission while opening up new avenues for growth and innovation for the developers and businesses building on the network.”
Alesia Haas, Chief Financial Officer at Coinbase, said: “Today’s launch represents another step towards increased flexibility for USDC to develop its utility in global consumer payment applications. We look forward to supporting USDC on Stellar for both our retail and institutional customers in the future.”
Jeremy Allaire, Chairman, and CEO of Circle, said: “Stellar is a leader in cross-border payments, and with the rapid global expansion USDC has been experiencing, we are excited to launch USDC on Stellar. We value the increased interoperability and wide range of developers that the Stellar network brings to the table, and look forward to seeing how adding a strong and stable USD anchor to Stellar grows its ecosystem and its importance as a platform driving global financial inclusion.”