Circle and ACI Worldwide have announced a USDC settlement proof of concept in Colombia, aiming to demonstrate how financial institutions can use dollar-backed stablecoins within their existing banking and payment operations. The initiative will combine Circle's digital-dollar infrastructure with ACI Connetic, a cloud-based platform that manages transactions across different payment systems.
Colombia was selected because ACI developed central infrastructure supporting Bre-B, the country's interoperable instant payments ecosystem established with Banco de la República. ACI's responsibilities include the addressing directory, clearing and settlement engine, and interoperability services. The companies said the project remains exploratory: no live USDC settlement connection to Bre-B, participating banks, or commercial launch date has been announced.
Craig Ramsey, ACI Worldwide's global head of account-to-account payments, said financial institutions want practical ways to introduce digital assets without disrupting current operations. Circle Chief Commercial Officer Kash Razzaghi added that institutions across Latin America are increasingly interested in stablecoin settlement.
Separately, Circle's Arc blockchain has surpassed $1 billion in USDC holdings roughly six weeks after launch, with stablecoin capitalization rising 32% in the past week. However, approximately 73% of the reported USDC supply on Arc is held by four addresses, indicating concentrated liquidity. Extended, a perpetuals trading platform, reportedly transferred about $120 million in trading collateral from Starknet to Arc, contributing to the growth.
