Circle has formally set a date for retiring the first version of CCTP, the protocol used to move USDC across blockchains. CCTP V1 will begin deprecation on October 31, 2026, and will be fully shut down on December 1, 2026, after which all cross-chain routing must run through CCTP V2. The company stresses that migration is mandatory, not optional. V2 introduces standard and fast transfer modes, programmable hooks for on-chain automation, and supports 27 blockchains. It also relies on separate contracts and an API that are not backward compatible with V1, so existing integrations will need to be rebuilt. Under the plan, V1 burn limits will start decreasing on October 31 and network performance will decline to zero within a month. Contract pause is set for December 1, leaving any remaining V1-based integration unable to complete cross-chain transfers. In addition, developers relying on replaceDepositForBurn to change the mint recipient or target caller must complete their transition before January 12, 2026; afterward, that function will no longer be available on V1.
Circle is deprecating CCTP V1, its cross-chain protocol for moving USDC between blockchains, and is requiring all users to move to CCTP V2. The sunset begins on October 31, 2026, and will be complete by December 1, 2026. In the company's words, the migration is a mandatory requirement, not a suggestion. Applications that still route USDC cross-chain through V1 contracts should begin the switch immediately.
CCTP V2, which Circle now calls CCTP, brings several upgrades over the original. It adds standard and fast transfer modes, plus programmable hooks that let developers trigger automated actions on the destination chain. The new version already supports 27 blockchains. Circle also notes that V2 runs on separate contracts and a separate API, and is not backward compatible with V1. Developers will need to adapt their integrations to the new interface.
The timeline is concrete. Starting October 31, burn limits on V1 will be reduced, and performance will degrade gradually over one month until it reaches zero. On December 1, V1 contracts will be paused; after that, any integration still pointing to V1 will no longer be able to complete cross-chain transfers. Separately, developers who use the replaceDepositForBurn function to modify the mint recipient or the target caller must finish their work by January 12, 2026. After that date, the function will no longer be supported on CCTP V1.
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