Ant Group’s international arm, backed by Alibaba founder Jack Ma, is preparing to integrate Circle’s USDC stablecoin into its proprietary blockchain payment network.
The rollout is expected to begin once U.S. regulators approve USDC under new federal guidelines, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter.
This move would connect USDC with a payment system that processed over $1 trillion globally last year—more than a third of which was settled on-chain. If completed, the integration could make Ant International the largest overseas corporate user of a U.S.-issued stablecoin, underscoring its commitment to expanding blockchain-enabled finance.
Ant Group is also pursuing stablecoin licenses in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Luxembourg. The goal is to build a regulated digital finance ecosystem that brings stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and tokenized bank deposits onto a single interoperable platform. This aligns with Ant’s broader objective to support transparent and compliant cross-border payment systems powered by blockchain technology.
Incorporating USDC can offer Ant Group several key advantages. It would enhance cross-border settlements by making them faster, cheaper, and more transparent. It also strengthens Ant’s connectivity with U.S.-based fintech and financial markets, opening doors to deeper institutional engagement.
Additionally, by offering enterprise users access to a trusted, dollar-pegged stablecoin, Ant can provide a secure foundation for international trade, remittances, and digital commerce. As global finance continues shifting toward tokenized infrastructure, Jack Ma’s Ant Group stands to become a major gateway for regulated stablecoin adoption at scale.
Global fintech firm FIS (NYSE: FIS) has entered into a new strategic partnership with a subsidiary of Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL) to bring USDC payment capabilities to U.S. financial institutions.
PayPal has launched a new service, Pay with Crypto, aimed at reducing the high costs and complexity of cross-border payments for merchants.
Goldman Sachs and BNY are set to unveil a groundbreaking blockchain initiative that will allow institutional investors to purchase tokenized shares of money market funds, according to CNBC.
Polymarket, the fast-growing crypto prediction market, is exploring the launch of its own stablecoin to capitalize on the yield generated from reserves backing USDC deposits.