Circle, the stablecoin issuer, has taken a significant step by initiating the minting of USD Coin directly on the Ethereum layer-2 scaling protocol, Polygon.
Seamless Accessibility on Polygon
Circle’s new approach ensures that USDC is now accessible to users and developers directly on Polygon. This is unlike previous methods requiring the bridging of USDC from Ethereum to other blockchains. The integration of Circle Mint and Circle’s developer APIs into Polygon-based USDC leverages the platform’s scaling capabilities.
Businesses and developers are set to benefit significantly from this development. They can now build decentralized applications with USDC on Polygon. This offering promises near-instant, low-fee transactions, catering to various use cases such as payments, remittances, trading, borrowing, and lending.
Transition from Bridged USDC
Prior to this announcement, protocol users had to rely on bridged USDC (USDC.e) from the Ethereum blockchain. It’s important to note that the token issued in this manner was not backed by Circle. The new offering ensures that USDC on Polygon is redeemable at a 1:1 ratio for United States dollars.
Circle has provided support for deposits and withdrawals for USDC.e on Polygon, but this service is slated to discontinue from November 10. Users are cautioned that assets sent to Circle Mint accounts after this date may be unrecoverable.
The introduction of native Polygon USDC by Circle is poised to open up opportunities for low-cost global payments and remittances. Additionally, users gain accessibility to trading, borrowing, and lending on leading decentralized finance protocols like Aave, Compound, Curve, Uniswap, and QuickSwap.
Future Plans: Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol
Looking ahead, Circle has plans to launch a cross-chain transfer protocol to Polygon. This move aims to enhance interoperability with other blockchain networks, enabling seamless Polygon-based USDC transfers to and from the Ethereum blockchain. The implications of this move are substantial, further cementing Circle’s commitment to innovation in the blockchain space.
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