Native USDC Coming to EDGE Chain via Circle Deal

Circle Ventures has invested in edgeX as part of a strategic push to bring native USDC and cross-chain transfer protocol CCTP to the EDGE Chain.

Key Takeaways

• Circle Ventures has invested in edgeX, marking its first strategic move into decentralized derivatives.
• Native USDC and CCTP are being integrated into EDGE Chain, expanding use cases for stablecoins in DeFi trading and settlements.
• edgeX plans to launch its token by March 31, following rapid user and volume growth.
• Gold and silver have become major assets traded on edgeX, showing the platform’s expansion beyond crypto.

What Happened?

Circle Ventures, the venture arm of stablecoin issuer Circle, has made a strategic investment in edgeX, a decentralized perpetual futures platform built on the EDGE Chain. This investment precedes edgeX’s planned token launch and aligns with Circle’s announcement to integrate native USDC and CCTP into the EDGE ecosystem. The move is set to improve liquidity, settlement speed, and cross-chain functionality within edgeX’s DeFi trading infrastructure.

Circle’s Strategic Entry into DeFi Derivatives

This deal marks Circle’s first serious move into the decentralized derivatives space, highlighting its intent to make USDC a foundational unit across high-frequency trading platforms. Circle’s USDC, the world’s largest regulated stablecoin, will soon become native to the EDGE Chain. This chain operates as a Layer 3 solution on top of Arbitrum and Ethereum, delivering high-speed, cost-efficient transactions.

Circle’s investment reinforces its long-term goal of building real, sustainable use cases for USDC in onchain financial applications. With CCTP integration, users and developers will be able to move USDC across multiple blockchains without relying on wrapped or bridged tokens.

Key Features of the Integration

Native USDC on EDGE Chain will offer:

• 1:1 redeemability for US dollars.
• Institutional-grade on/offramps via Circle Mint.
• Plug-and-play compatibility with DeFi apps like edgeX.

CCTP support will allow:

• Secure USDC transfers across chains.
• Flexible transfer modes (Standard or Fast).
• Better UX for onboarding, trading, and lending in DeFi.

This integration not only simplifies cross-chain liquidity but also strengthens EDGE Chain’s appeal to institutional users, developers, and market makers.

edgeX’s Rapid Rise and Upcoming Token Launch

Founded in March 2024, edgeX has grown quickly with over 295,000 users and $5 billion in daily trading volume. It now supports about $1 billion in open interest, with trading available on both web and mobile. The platform integrates crypto, stocks, and commodities into a single interface and supports both perpetuals and spot markets.

A key growth area has been real-world assets (RWA), with gold and silver now among the most traded markets on edgeX after BTC and ETH. The platform has also partnered with Polymarket to bring prediction markets into its ecosystem.

edgeX is expected to launch its token before March 31, following a previous pre-seed round led by Amber Group in 2024. While details of the latest investment round remain undisclosed, Circle Ventures was the sole investor.

Migration from Bridged to Native USDC

Currently, EDGE Chain uses Bridged USDC (USDC.e), created by Alchemy. With the arrival of native USDC, the edgeX and EDGE Chain teams plan a smooth migration of liquidity. USDC.e will remain clearly labeled across block explorers and app interfaces to avoid user confusion.

This upgrade is expected to improve:

• Transaction reliability.
• Regulatory clarity.
• Institutional confidence in using stablecoins within DeFi platforms.

CoinLaw’s Takeaway

I’ve seen plenty of integrations come and go in DeFi, but this one actually matters. Circle isn’t just sprinkling USDC onto another chain. They’re investing real capital into edgeX and making USDC a core piece of its trading and settlement layer. That signals big confidence in EDGE Chain’s tech and in edgeX’s future. The fact that they’re rolling out native USDC alongside CCTP also shows they’re thinking long-term. From my view, this isn’t just about DeFi hype. It’s about laying stable foundations for future financial infrastructure. If you’re watching for the next leap in stablecoin utility or DeFi scaling, keep your eye on EDGE Chain.

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