[Circle Launches Arc Blockchain Public Testnet, Visa and BlackRock Among Participants] According to CoinDesk, Circle (USDC issuer, CRCL) has launched the payment-oriented Arc blockchain public testnet, with over 100 institutions participating, including Visa, HSBC, BlackRock, AWS, Anthropic, Coinbase, Kraken, and others. Arc is positioned as a foundational layer for financial services, offering dollar-based billing, sub-second settlement, optional privacy, and integration with Circle's payment system. Visa is testing stablecoin settlement to accelerate cross-border payments, while BlackRock is exploring stablecoin settlement and on-chain FX. Circle stated that its long-term goal is decentralization, with open validators and governance.