Circle and Crossmint Collaborate to Shape the Financial Landscape for People and AI Agents

Circle, the company behind the

stablecoin, has revealed a new strategic alliance with crypto infrastructure provider Crossmint to broaden USDC’s reach across various blockchain platforms. This partnership is designed to make stablecoin payments more accessible for both people and AI-powered agents, aiming to establish USDC as a key asset in the digital economy’s next phase. By merging Crossmint’s wallet solutions, APIs, and payment management tools with USDC’s framework, the collaboration intends to deliver fast, affordable, and globally available financial transactions. Crossmint highlighted that this effort sets the stage for a new financial era, where systems are tailored to support both human and automated, machine-based activities.

This collaboration also points to the increasing interest in AI-driven applications for stablecoins. Developers at

, such as Kevin Leffew and Lincoln Murr, have discussed how AI agents could use stablecoins for automated functions like paying for autonomous taxi rides, distributing digital content, and handling on-chain data storage. These scenarios highlight stablecoins’ importance in enabling programmable finance, where AI can independently carry out transactions. Crossmint remarked that AI agents are likely to become significant users of blockchain, especially in online commerce and decentralized apps.

Expanding USDC’s infrastructure also meets the needs of economies facing high inflation, where stablecoins act as crucial financial tools. MoneyGram, a leading remittance company, recently introduced a crypto payment app in Colombia powered by Crossmint’s technology, allowing users to receive and hold USDC as a safeguard against the weakening peso. This development mirrors trends in countries like Argentina, where stablecoins are increasingly used to avoid currency restrictions and protect against inflation. With MoneyGram’s network of 50 million customers in 190 countries, this partnership could significantly boost stablecoin adoption.

However, USDC continues to compete with Tether’s

, which still leads the stablecoin market in both capitalization and trading activity. As of September 2025, USDT’s market cap was $173 billion, while USDC’s stood at $74.1 billion. USDT also posted a 24-hour trading volume of nearly $100 billion, far surpassing USDC’s $10.3 billion. The blockchain’s quick and inexpensive transactions further enhance USDT’s popularity in emerging markets. Nevertheless, Crossmint and are working to distinguish USDC by focusing on regulatory adherence and its integration with the growing AI-powered finance sector.

The partnership also covers additional blockchain networks, such as Tempo—a payments-centric layer-1 blockchain developed with support from Stripe and Paradigm. Tempo’s infrastructure, built for speed and scalability, aligns with Crossmint’s mission to expand USDC’s practical uses. This alliance highlights the critical role of interoperability in driving stablecoin adoption, as partners strive to streamline cross-border payments and on-chain processes.

This initiative mirrors a larger movement in the industry toward institutional use of stablecoins, with companies like MoneyGram and infrastructure firms such as Crossmint playing central roles in widening access. Although challenges like competition from leading stablecoins such as USDT persist, the partnership marks a shift toward programmable and AI-integrated financial systems. As stablecoins become more intertwined with both traditional and digital finance, their influence on global liquidity and economic stability is expected to remain a key concern for both investors and regulators.