Binance is investing $100 million in Circle Internet Group, the issuer of USDC, and the two companies have signed a new five-year commercial agreement to promote the stablecoin globally. The deal was announced on September 22, 2026.
Deal terms
- Structure: a private placement of Circle Class A common stock at a 5% discount to the pre-closing market price.
- Lock-up: Binance agreed not to transfer the shares for up to two years, subject to customary exceptions.
- Commercial terms: Circle will pay Binance a monthly fee to promote USDC; Binance will integrate USDC more widely, and Circle will provide infrastructure for holding and using it.
Why it matters
USDC is the second-largest stablecoin, with a market cap of roughly $75 billion. Binance is the largest crypto exchange, and many of its markets are dominated by Tether's USDT. Analysts said the stake gives Circle a powerful distribution channel in exactly the regions where USDT is most entrenched.
The partnership also ties the world's biggest exchange more closely to a U.S.-regulated, publicly listed stablecoin issuer — a notable shift as stablecoin regulation tightens under the GENIUS Act.
