Binance takes $100 million Circle stake alongside five-year USDC deal

Binance has taken a $100 million equity position in Circle, buying 1,237,011 Class A common shares at $80.84 apiece in a private placement, according to an 8-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The purchase closed immediately after the two companies signed a subscription agreement and broadened their commercial relationship.

The equity sale ran concurrently with a new five-year commercial deal that expands the promotion of USDC held through Circle's Modular Smart Contract Wallet infrastructure. Under the terms, Circle will pay Binance a monthly incentive fee calculated as a percentage of the USDC held through that wallet service. The arrangement replaces earlier agreements the pair signed in 2024 and 2025.

According to the filing, either side can unilaterally terminate the arrangement before expiry under specified conditions. Binance's Circle shares carry restrictions: the exchange may not sell, transfer or hedge the stake for two years, except where it ends the commercial arrangement under certain circumstances and subject to customary exceptions. Binance retains voting rights on the shares throughout that period.

Arc mainnet goes live

The deal lands as Circle pushes its USDC infrastructure beyond the stablecoin itself. Last week the New York-based company launched the public mainnet of Arc, its Layer 1 blockchain, where USDC is used to cover transaction fees. Circle said more than 100 applications were available at launch, and its founding validator group includes BlackRock, DTCC, ICE, Mastercard and Visa.

The filing did not disclose further financial terms of the commercial agreement, and neither company has commented beyond the regulatory disclosure.