Cardano to Integrate Circle’s USDCx Across Ecosystem

Cardano will integrate Circle’s USDCx, enabling retail-style USDC across chains via CCTP, with LayerZero connecting ecosystems and expanding stablecoin utility.

Rich by Coin

2026-02-15

Cardano is slated to integrate Circle’s USDCx, a USD-backed stablecoin variant, by the end of February. USDCx is pegged 1:1 with USDC through Circle’s xReserve infrastructure and is designed to function like retail USDC for everyday users. The key distinction is that only Circle’s institutional partners can redeem dollars directly via the Circle rails, a capability not available to retail or DeFi users.

USDCx is described as a full-featured retail USDC, not an incomplete version, and can be bridged across all chains supported by CCTP in a single transaction, just as native USDC would require. Any transaction that can be paid in USDC can also be settled with USDCx, expanding usability across the Cardano ecosystem. The move underscores Circle’s goal of preserving USDC’s utility for the entire Cardano ecosystem and has been labeled a significant infrastructure upgrade by market participants.

Cardano is pursuing integration with LayerZero to reach beyond its isolated profile and is partnering to ensure broader access to USDC’s functionalities. Industry observers view the integration as a meaningful upgrade for Cardano’s infra and DeFi landscape as stablecoins gain greater traction on the network.