Circle acquires Interop Labs
The issuer of USDC is bringing the developers of the Axelar Network in-house. This deal, expected to close in early 2026, covers Interop Labs’ personnel and proprietary intellectual property. It is important to note that the Axelar Network itself, along with its foundation and the AXL token, will remain independent and governed by the community.
However, the integration of Interop Labs’ technology into Circle’s Arc blockchain and Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) is a great development for asset mobility. Circle has stated that this acquisition is designed to speed up interoperability for assets issued on Arc and enhance developer tools for multichain applications. In layman’s terms, Circle is making it easier, faster, and safer to move money across different blockchains.
Another Axelar contributor, Common Prefix, will take over Interop Labs’ previous responsibilities to maintain continuity on the open-source network. This move validates the thesis that the future is multichain and that the friction of moving assets is disappearing.
