Circle is preparing to launch Arc, a specialized Layer 1 blockchain that utilizes USDC for transaction fees instead of a volatile native token. Scheduled for a public debut on September 16, 2026, the network aims to bridge the gap between institutional finance and decentralized trading. While the chain is currently in a private phase with major financial backers, a speculative pre-mainnet market has already emerged through independent third-party platforms. These early adopters are paying high premiums for Arc-side liquidity to access experimental launchpads and tokens before the general public. Tools like Ave.ai are integrating Arc data early to ...