Ant International, the overseas division of Chinese fintech giant Ant Group, is set to integrate Circle's USDC stablecoin into its proprietary blockchain infrastructure, contingent upon U.S. regulatory certification under the GENIUS Act enacted in June 2025. The dollar-pegged token will serve as a foundational asset on Ant's platform, which processed over $300 billion in tokenized financial activity last year and facilitated $1 trillion in global payments (with one-third settled on-chain).
The integration targets enterprise-grade solutions like cross-border payments and tokenized asset settlement, avoiding cryptocurrency speculation. Ant is concurrently pursuing stablecoin licenses in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Luxembourg to establish a multi-asset network hosting regulated stablecoins, CBDCs, and tokenized bank deposits. This strategic pivot toward institutional digital finance could position Ant as the largest overseas corporate user of a U.S.-issued stablecoin, streamlining settlement times and enhancing transparency.
Circle's shares rose nearly 3.8% to $208 in pre-market trading following the announcement. Success hinges on timely U.S. approval and licensing outcomes in Asia/Europe, potentially catalyzing broader adoption of compliant stablecoins in global commerce.