Circle to Acquire Interop Labs Team and IP; Deal Expected to Close Early 2026

USDC issuer Circle said on Dec. 16 it signed an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team and its proprietary intellectual property, with the transaction expected to close in early 2026. Interop Labs, the initial development team and a core contributor to Axelar, has built one of the most advanced frameworks for cross-chain communication and token transfers. Circle plans to integrate the talent and technology to accelerate two priorities: Arc, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for enterprise applications, and the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol. The deal involves only Interop Labs and proprietary IP; the Axelar network, the Axelar Foundation and the AXL token will continue to operate independently under community governance.