Circle Internet Group, Inc., a global financial technology firm, on Monday announced the launch of the Circle Payments Network (CPN), a new service designed to enable real-time cross-border payments between licensed financial institutions using regulated stablecoins. The network is expected to debut in a limited capacity in May.
The CPN aims to modernize a global payments system that remains burdened by delays and high transaction costs. According to the World Bank, international payments can take more than a business day to settle and often carry fees exceeding 6%, disproportionately affecting businesses and individuals in emerging markets.
Stablecoin-Powered Infrastructure
The network will utilize regulated stablecoins such as USDC and EURC to facilitate instant settlement across different jurisdictions. CPN aims to connect banks, payment providers, digital wallets, and virtual asset service providers to domestic real-time payment systems, providing a consistent compliance framework across borders.
Circle said institutions participating in the network must meet strict eligibility requirements, including proper licensing, anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) compliance, risk management, and cybersecurity protocols.
Circle’s infrastructure integrates smart contracts and modular APIs, allowing developers to build custom financial workflows and applications on the network.
Global Institutions Contribute to Design
To ensure operational integrity and regulatory alignment, Circle is working with several large global banks, including Deutsche Bank, Banco Santander, Société Générale, and Standard Chartered. These institutions are contributing expertise to the network’s architecture.
Standard Chartered’s Global Head of Transaction Banking, Michael Spiegel, said the bank sees the initiative as a way to improve cross-border payments while meeting global compliance standards.
Additional partners include fintech firms such as Flutterwave and Coins.ph, OpenPayd, and Fireblocks, which are collaborating to connect their platforms to the CPN.
Early Access and Expansion Plans
Licensed financial institutions can apply to become early participants. Circle has not specified a full rollout date but confirmed the initial launch will begin in May.
The initiative marks a significant move in Circle’s broader strategy to expand beyond stablecoin issuance and into payments infrastructure.
