Circle acquires assets from IBM blockchain portfolio
27 July 2026 US
Image: winexa/stock.adobe.com
Circle, an internet financial infrastructure firm, has acquired select assets from IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio.
The portfolio comprises over 680 patent families and approximately 1,000 issued patents, spanning blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and cloud operations.
Circle says that by extending its intellectual property position, the firm is further supporting the foundation for its suite of products and services, including its stablecoin USDC, Layer-1 public blockchain Arc, Circle Payments Network, and its agentic financial tools.
Circle and IBM also plan to explore further commercial opportunities.
Regarding the portfolio, Sarah Wilson, general counsel and corporate secretary at Circle, says: “Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of onchain infrastructure.
“IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance.”
The portfolio comprises over 680 patent families and approximately 1,000 issued patents, spanning blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and cloud operations.
Circle says that by extending its intellectual property position, the firm is further supporting the foundation for its suite of products and services, including its stablecoin USDC, Layer-1 public blockchain Arc, Circle Payments Network, and its agentic financial tools.
Circle and IBM also plan to explore further commercial opportunities.
Regarding the portfolio, Sarah Wilson, general counsel and corporate secretary at Circle, says: “Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of onchain infrastructure.
“IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation, and this acquisition expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance.”
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