Circle said Arc Network is moving ahead in testnet, and the company is reviewing a native token design tied to the network’s longer-term roadmap. Speaking at a company event in Seoul, CEO Jeremy Allaire said the token is being considered to support governance, incentives, and validator rewards, while also preparing Arc for a future transition to a Proof-of-Stake model.
Circle describes Arc as an economic operating system built for stablecoin-based finance and institutional workflows. In that framework, the proposed token would serve as a coordination layer across the network, aligning validators, developers, and users through shared economic incentives. Key token details remain undisclosed. Circle has not released information on supply, distribution, or a ticker.
USDC remains the gas token on testnet
For now, Arc uses USDC as the gas token during its public testnet phase. Circle said that structure is intended to keep fees predictable while the network tests core infrastructure and integration points. Arc is already in a live testnet stage, showing that active development and partner testing are underway.
The company said Arc is aimed at high-throughput financial applications and tokenized asset use cases, with a focus on institutional workflows that require low-latency processing. According to Circle, the testnet is currently delivering sub-second finality, with speeds near 780 milliseconds.
BlackRock and Visa are among early testers
Circle also pointed to early interest from large enterprises, naming BlackRock and Visa among firms exploring integrations. That positions Arc less as a general-purpose retail network and more as infrastructure for stablecoin payments, institutional settlement, and tokenized finance.
The design also takes in what Circle called “agentic commerce,” where AI systems carry out frequent micro-transactions. The company said the infrastructure can support high-volume activity while maintaining consistent performance, though it did not share additional technical metrics.
PoS migration is planned in phases, without a launch date
On the roadmap, Circle said it expects a gradual move toward Proof-of-Stake. Allaire said the native token would eventually support staking, which would help secure the network and operate the consensus model. That makes the token central not only to governance, but also to Arc’s planned security structure.
Circle has not set a timeline for mainnet launch or for the PoS transition. The company said testing and feature refinement will continue through 2026, and described the current period as a key stage for evaluating governance design and the network’s economic model.