- Circle acquired over 680 blockchain patent families from IBM, becoming the largest blockchain patent holder in the United States.
- The patents strengthen Circle’s technology across USDC, payments, enterprise blockchain, and onchain financial infrastructure.
- The acquisition expands Circle’s intellectual property as competition in the stablecoin and blockchain infrastructure market intensifies.
Circle Internet Group announced Monday that it acquired key assets from IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, adding more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. According to Circle, the transaction makes it the largest blockchain patent holder in the United States and strengthens the technology behind USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, and its onchain financial infrastructure.
Patent Deal Expands Circle’s Technology Portfolio
According to Circle, the acquired patents cover blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations. The company said the expanded intellectual property portfolio supports its growing range of blockchain-based financial products.
Circle also confirmed plans to explore additional commercial opportunities with IBM following the acquisition. However, neither company disclosed the financial terms of the agreement or whether ongoing licensing arrangements are included.
Sarah Wilson, Circle’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, said intellectual property remains important for expanding onchain infrastructure. She added that IBM’s long history of technology innovation strengthens Circle’s ability to develop internet-based financial services.
IBM Portfolio Adds Enterprise Experience
The acquisition builds on IBM’s years of blockchain research and development. Over the past decade, IBM accumulated hundreds of patents covering distributed ledger technology and enterprise blockchain applications.
For Circle, the transaction adds legal and technical assets beyond its stablecoin and payments business. According to the company, the portfolio directly supports USDC, Circle Payments Network, Arc, and its expanding suite of onchain products and agentic financial tools.
The deal also positions Circle as the leading blockchain patent holder in the United States. According to the announcement, the company intends to use the expanded portfolio while continuing to develop financial infrastructure for institutions and developers.
Deal Comes As Stablecoin Competition Grows
The acquisition arrives as competition in the stablecoin sector continues to increase. Earlier this month, a consortium of more than 140 companies announced plans to launch Open USD as a potential competitor to USDC. Circle did not disclose why IBM chose to sell the patent portfolio.
Likewise, the companies did not announce additional transaction details beyond confirming future commercial discussions. According to Circle, the newly acquired patents provide broader coverage across blockchain infrastructure while supporting its existing financial technology platforms.
