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Circle Internet Group, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 4 raised, 1 new, 6 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • ARC presale lifted Other Revenue: Other Revenue reached $207 million, up 627%, with $182 million from the ARC token presale; lower subscription and services revenue partly offset this. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 85%: Adjusted EBITDA was $317 million, up 85%, reflecting the ARC presale revenue and lower distribution costs, partly offset by investment in new products. Source
  • Reserve income fell 8%: Reserve income was $658 million, down 8%, mainly from a 61 bps lower Reserve Return Rate, partly offset by 8% higher average USDC in circulation. Source
  • RLDC margin reached 52%: RLDC was $453 million, up 55%, and the RLDC margin was 52%, up 1,291 bps year-over-year. Source
  • Average USDC circulation up 8%: Average USDC in circulation was $73.3 billion, up 8%; end-of-period circulation was $73.9 billion, flat year-over-year. Onchain volume was $13.9 trillion, up 49%. Source
  • Arc public mainnet launched: Arc public mainnet launched on September 16 with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders on day one and native USDC integration. Source
  • ARC genesis mint completed: Circle completed the genesis mint of ARC, a full initial supply of 10 billion tokens, designed as the native coordination mechanism for Arc. Source
  • Tazapay definitive agreement signed: Circle signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tazapay, a Singapore-headquartered B2B cross-border payments platform; closing is expected in 2027. Source

“In Q3, we saw continued proof that institutions are building and expanding on USDC.”

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman at Circle

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
USDC in Circulation growth SourceMulti-year through cycle40% CAGRKept
Other Revenue SourceFY 2026$310-$330MKept
RLDC Margin SourceFY 202641.7-43.7%Kept
Adjusted Operating Expenses SourceFY 2026$570-$585MKept
Operating expenses (GAAP reconciliation) SourceFY 2026$973-$1,056 millionRaised from $949-$1,039 million
Stock-based compensation and related payroll taxes SourceFY 2026$219-$249 millionKept
Depreciation and amortization SourceFY 2026$116-$141 millionKept
Legal expenses SourceFY 2026$24-$37 millionRaised from $14-$34 million
Acquisition-related costs SourceFY 2026$14 millionRaised from $8 million
Restructuring expenses SourceFY 2026$9 millionNew
Charitable contributions to Circle Foundation SourceFY 2026$23 millionRaised from $22 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Key indicator guidance for USDC growth, Other Revenue, RLDC Margin and Adjusted Operating Expenses is carried forward unchanged. Source
  • Guidance raised: The GAAP operating expense range in the forward reconciliation moved up from the August release. Source
  • New guidance: A restructuring expense line of $9 million for FY 2026 now appears in the forward reconciliation. Source
  • New: Circle signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tazapay, a Singapore-headquartered B2B cross-border payments platform. Source
  • New: Binance announced a $100 million equity investment in Circle and an expansion and renewal of its strategic partnership. Source
  • New: Circle became a Principal Partner of Chelsea FC, with Circle and USDC brands on the front of Men's, Women's, and Academy shirts. Source
  • New: Circle completed the genesis mint of the ARC token, with a full initial supply of 10 billion tokens. Source
  • New: A workforce reduction of about 5% was made to align the organizational structure with the operating model and strategic priorities. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • ARC presale lifted Other Revenue: Other Revenue reached $207 million, up 627%, with $182 million from the ARC token presale; lower subscription and services revenue partly offset this. Source
  • Net income rose 5%: Net income from continuing operations was $226 million, up 5%, mainly from higher operating income, partly offset by lower other income. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 85%: Adjusted EBITDA was $317 million, up 85%, reflecting the ARC presale revenue and lower distribution costs, partly offset by investment in new products. Source
  • Diluted EPS of $0.84: Diluted EPS attributable to common stockholders was $0.84, against $0.64 a year earlier; basic EPS was $0.89, against $0.93. Source

Reserve income and margins

  • Reserve income fell 8%: Reserve income was $658 million, down 8%, mainly from a 61 bps lower Reserve Return Rate, partly offset by 8% higher average USDC in circulation. Source
  • Distribution costs fell 8%: Total distribution, transaction and other costs were $412 million, down 8%, mostly from lower distribution payments. Source
  • RLDC margin reached 52%: RLDC was $453 million, up 55%, and the RLDC margin was 52%, up 1,291 bps year-over-year. Source
  • Net reserve margin held near 38%: Net reserve margin was 38% in the quarter, against 39% in the June quarter and 37% in the September 2025 quarter. Source

“We also launched Arc on public mainnet with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders, giving them the infrastructure to build the next generation of financial applications.”

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman at Circle

USDC circulation and platform activity

  • Average USDC circulation up 8%: Average USDC in circulation was $73.3 billion, up 8%; end-of-period circulation was $73.9 billion, flat year-over-year. Onchain volume was $13.9 trillion, up 49%. Source
  • Minting and redemptions both $104 billion: USDC minted and redeemed were each $104 billion; minting rose 31% and redemptions rose 54% year-over-year. Source
  • On-platform share averaged 18.1%: USDC on platform averaged 18.1% on a daily weighted basis, up 462 bps; end-of-period USDC on platform was $13.9 billion, up 36%. Source
  • Stablecoin share and wallets: Stablecoin market share was 27% at period end, with a 183 bps change year-over-year; meaningful wallets reached 7.3 million, up 16%. Source

Products, partnerships and customers

  • Samsung Wallet adds USDC transfers: Samsung Wallet lets eligible U.S. Galaxy users send USDC to qualifying bank accounts in more than 60 countries, paid in the local currency. Source
  • Visa Direct moves to commercial use: Visa Direct stablecoin prefunding moved from pilots to commercial deployment, with Inyo Global funding cross-border payouts in USDC across 180+ countries. Source
  • Tereina brings USDC into SAP ecosystem: Tereina, backed by SAP, will integrate USDC and EURC into its payments infrastructure and enterprise workflows, starting with the SAP Ecosystem. Source
  • Allaria expands Argentina liquidity: Allaria and Circle announced a partnership to expand USDC liquidity and institutional access in Argentina. Source
  • Binance investment and renewed partnership: Binance announced a $100 million equity investment and a renewed, expanded partnership to promote USDC across its global platform, with emphasis on emerging markets. Source
  • Chelsea FC principal partnership: Circle and USDC brands appear on the front of Chelsea FC shirts from the 2026/27 season, placing USDC in front of football fans globally. Source

“Together, we’re building the financial and economic infrastructure for the internet, and upgrading the system for a world where people, businesses, and AI agents all transact onchain.”

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, CEO, and Chairman at Circle

Arc network and ARC token

  • Arc public mainnet launched: Arc public mainnet launched on September 16 with more than 100 institutional and ecosystem builders on day one and native USDC integration. Source
  • ARC genesis mint completed: Circle completed the genesis mint of ARC, a full initial supply of 10 billion tokens, designed as the native coordination mechanism for Arc. Source
  • Developer community reached 75,000+: Arc’s developer community includes 75,000+ Arc House members and 10,000 Architect ambassadors; 1,200+ projects were built on Arc during private mainnet. Source
  • Founding validators from global finance: The founding validator cohort is drawn from institutions that run global finance, and the network is working toward Proof of Stake. Source

Operating costs

  • Operating expenses up 16%: Operating expenses were $245 million, up 16%, mainly from higher G&A, D&A, IT infrastructure and marketing, partly offset by lower stock-based compensation. Source
  • Adjusted operating expenses up 13%: Adjusted operating expenses were $139 million, up 13%, mainly from higher G&A, IT infrastructure and marketing expenses. Source
  • Workforce cut by about 5%: Restructuring expenses were $9.1 million for a workforce reduction of about 5%, aimed at aligning the organization with the operating model and strategic priorities. Source
  • Legal and deal costs excluded from adjusted: Legal expenses were $6.7 million, covering FT Partners litigation, legacy settlements and regulatory matters; acquisition-related costs were $7.7 million for the Tazapay deal and a January asset acquisition. Source

Tazapay acquisition

  • Tazapay definitive agreement signed: Circle signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tazapay, a Singapore-headquartered B2B cross-border payments platform; closing is expected in 2027. Source
  • Tazapay volume and partner reach: Tazapay brings $25B+ in annualized payment volume, 60+ banking and fintech partners, and local payout rails covering 100+ markets. Source
  • Deal extends APAC and LATAM reach: The company says the acquisition deepens its ability to originate and terminate payments across APAC, LATAM and emerging markets, where USDC-denominated demand is growing. Source

Capital, cash and share count

  • Cash and equivalents at quarter end: Cash and cash equivalents were $1,699,951 thousand at September 30, 2026, against $1,526,046 thousand at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Class A shares outstanding rose: Class A shares outstanding were 237.1 million, up from 223.6 million at December 31, 2025; Class B shares were 19.1 million. Source
  • Shares to Circle Foundation planned: The forecast reflects transfer of 268,239 Class A shares to Circle Foundation; charitable contributions were $4.6 million in the quarter. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 November 2026

  • Tazapay closing expected in 2027: Closing of the Tazapay acquisition is expected in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. Source
  • Arc moves to Proof of Stake: The network is working toward a transition to Proof of Stake in 2027, with the ARC token serving as its coordination mechanism. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
USDC in circulation, average of period Source$73.3 billion
USDC in circulation, end of period Source$73.9 billion
USDC onchain transaction volume Source$13.9 trillion
CPN annualized TPV Source$41.3B
USDC on platform, end of period Source$13.9 billion
Meaningful wallets, end of period Source7.3 million
Stablecoin market share, end of period Source27%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Reserve income fell as the Reserve Return Rate declined 61 bps, the main driver of lower reserve income this quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: The Tazapay acquisition is expected to close in 2027 and depends on regulatory approvals. Source
  • Regulatory: Legal expenses relate to the FT Partners litigation, legacy-business settlements and one-time regulatory matters. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Arc public mainnet had been planned for September 16; the company reports it launched on that date. Source
  • Not stated: The network is working toward a transition to Proof of Stake in 2027. Source
  • Not stated: Management carries forward FY 2026 Adjusted Operating Expenses guidance of $570-$585 million. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.