Circle acquires nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patents

Circle Internet Group, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, announced on Monday, July 27, 2026, that it has acquired a significant portion of IBM's blockchain patent portfolio. The deal grants Circle more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, a move the company says establishes it as the leading holder of blockchain patents in the United States.

The acquired intellectual property spans a broad range of technologies, including core blockchain infrastructure, banking, financial services, payments, insurance, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Circle stated the portfolio is intended to directly support its key products and expansion strategy, including the USDC stablecoin, the Circle Payments Network (CPN), the Arc blockchain, and a growing suite of onchain products and agentic financial tools.

Sarah Wilson, Circle's General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, said intellectual property is critical to advancing the company's mission and expanding adoption of onchain infrastructure. She noted that IBM has been a pioneer in technological innovation and that the acquisition expands...