Circle, the issuer of USDC stablecoin, today announced a collaboration with Nium, a real-time cross-border payments infrastructure, to connect USDC settlement infrastructure with global payout services spanning more than 190 countries, as stablecoin firms continue pushing into international payments.
According to the official release, the partnership integrates Nium into Circle Payments Network (CPN), allowing financial institutions using the network to access Nium’s payout rails and local currency settlement infrastructure through a single connection.
The companies said the arrangement combines blockchain-based settlement using USDC with Nium’s real-time payout services across bank accounts, wallets, and cards in more than 100 currencies.
Circle targets broader stablecoin payment use
The agreement expands Circle’s effort to position USDC beyond crypto trading and into institutional payment flows. Under the partnership, institutions connected to CPN can use USDC for settlement while relying on Nium’s infrastructure for final local currency delivery. The integration also includes foreign exchange optimization and payment routing tools intended to reduce reliance on multiple regional providers.
The companies said the setup is designed to simplify cross-border payments by reducing the need for prefunded accounts across different markets. Circle has increasingly focused on payment and settlement use cases for USDC as stablecoins gain traction among financial firms seeking alternatives to traditional cross-border transfer systems.
Cross-border payments remain a key focus
International payments often involve multiple intermediaries, settlement delays, and liquidity management requirements across jurisdictions. Circle and Nium said the partnership is aimed at addressing those operational issues by linking blockchain settlement with established payout infrastructure.
Nium founder and CEO Prajit Nanu said the partnership reflects growing overlap between traditional payment systems and blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Circle Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi also commented on the development, stating, “Through our partnership with Nium and their integration into Circle Payments Network, we are extending USDC from a settlement instrument into a complete payments flow, helping institutions move money globally with greater speed, transparency, and capital efficiency.”
Circle expands tokenized asset push with cirBTC
The Nium partnership comes as Circle Internet Group broadens its digital asset infrastructure strategy beyond stablecoin payments. On May 22, Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire announced that cirBTC, the company’s wrapped Bitcoin product backed 1:1 by native BTC, had gone live on testnet across Arc and Ethereum. Developer documentation and a testnet faucet were also released ahead of a planned mainnet launch in the second quarter of 2026.
Allaire said developers can now mint, transfer, and integrate testnet cirBTC into applications, moving the product from announcement stage into active testing infrastructure. cirBTC is Circle’s first major non-stablecoin product since its 2025 NYSE listing and represents the company’s entry into the wrapped Bitcoin market, currently led by products such as WBTC and cbBTC.
Institutional adoption of USDC continues
Circle said the Circle Payments Network generated $8.3 billion in annualized transaction volume based on trailing 30-day activity as of March 31, 2026.
The company has expanded its focus on institutional payment services over the past year, particularly around treasury management, remittances, and global settlements. By integrating with Nium, Circle gains access to payout infrastructure covering a broad range of international corridors without requiring separate local integrations for each market.
Stablecoins move further into traditional finance
The partnership highlights how stablecoin issuers are increasingly working with payment providers to bridge blockchain settlement systems with traditional financial rails.
While stablecoins can enable faster movement of value between institutions, businesses, and consumers still typically require local fiat currency payouts. Payment providers like Nium help bridge that gap by handling local disbursement and compliance requirements.
The companies said institutions using the combined system will also be able to track payments in real time through onchain transaction visibility while settling payouts through conventional financial infrastructure.
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