- Circle Gateway now supports ERC-1271, allowing smart contracts and smart wallets to manage unified USDC balances without delegate accounts.
- The update preserves existing authorization models, including multisignature approvals, role-based permissions and spending controls.
- ERC-1271 support expands crosschain USDC workflows while reducing operational complexity for developers and existing Gateway integrations.
Circle announced that Gateway now supports ERC-1271 signatures, allowing smart contracts and smart contract wallets to access unified USDC balances directly. According to Circle, the update removes the need for delegate accounts while preserving existing authorization logic, enabling programmable applications to manage crosschain USDC using their current approval models.
Smart Contracts Gain Direct Access
According to Circle, Gateway previously required externally owned accounts to submit mint and burn requests. As a result, smart contract wallets depended on delegate approvers, creating extra setup requirements and additional signature management.
With ERC-1271 support, Gateway can now verify signatures generated by smart contracts through the standard contract-based verification method. Consequently, developers can connect smart contracts directly without redesigning existing authorization systems.
The company said applications can continue using multisignature approvals, role-based permissions, spending limits, passkeys, allowlists, and time-based controls. Those policies remain inside the smart contract instead of moving to separate delegate accounts.
Crosschain USDC Workflows Expand
The update also broadens Gateway’s crosschain capabilities. According to Circle, developers can access a unified USDC balance after depositing tokens into Gateway Wallet contracts across supported blockchains.
DeFi protocols can now move USDC between supported chains without relying on bridges or maintaining pre-funded balances. Meanwhile, payment platforms can execute crosschain transfers while preserving their existing approval structures.
Treasury platforms can also manage recurring payments, crosschain operations, and controlled disbursements from one unified USDC balance. Smart wallet providers can similarly offer users crosschain access without introducing delegate approval flows.
Existing Integrations Need Fewer Steps
Circle said ERC-1271 also provides a simpler migration path for existing Gateway users. Teams using delegate-based authorization can transition to direct smart contract access while keeping their current validation logic.
According to the company, the change reduces operational overhead by removing separate signing infrastructure and delegate management. Instead, authorization remains governed by the same smart contract policies already controlling treasury systems, protocols, users, and applications.
The update enables developers to build crosschain USDC workflows while maintaining existing security policies through programmable smart contract authorization.
