An affiliate of Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL), the issuer of stablecoin USDC through its regulated entities, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with LianLian Global, a licensed cross-border payments provider, to explore expanding the use of USDC.
We are collaborating with LianLian Global to explore stablecoin-powered infrastructure for cross-border payments.
As part of our continued work to expand the utility of USDC within regulated financial systems, this collaboration will focus on evaluating how digital dollar… pic.twitter.com/Syoc26AbXC— Circle (@circle) December 17, 2025
The partnership will explore opportunities to build stablecoin backed payment infrastructure designed to make international payments more accessible for merchants and digital platforms operating across global markets, said the firm in a press release.
Modernizing Cross-Border Payment Infrastructure
Both parties will assess how stablecoins such as USDC can support faster and more resilient transactions especially in high-volume international payment flows.
By upgrading treasury and settlement processes the initiative aims to reduce friction in cross-border payments while improving reliability for merchants operating across multiple jurisdictions and currencies.
Driving Efficiency and Interoperability
According to the announcement the agreement also focuses on improving cost efficiency and streamlining settlement processes for merchants and platforms. Traditional cross-border payments often involve multiple intermediaries with delayed settlement times and opaque fees.
Circle and LianLian Global will also explore how stablecoin rails can help simplify these flows allowing near real-time settlement and improved transparency.
Expanding Access in Emerging Markets
Another factor of the collaboration is identifying opportunities in emerging markets where digital payment solutions can expand access and economic participation.
Stablecoins have increasingly been viewed as a tool to improve financial inclusion by lowering barriers to entry and enabling faster, more affordable cross-border transactions.
By combining Circle’s digital currency infrastructure with LianLian Global’s regional expertise – the partnership aims to unlock new payment use cases for merchants in fast-growing markets.
Working with Regulated Financial Institutions
The partnership is part of Circle’s strategy of working closely with regulated financial institutions and licensed payment providers as stablecoins become more embedded within global financial systems, saif the firm.
Yam Ki Chan, Vice President, Asia Pacific of Circle, said the agreement is part of Circle’s commitment to building open and interoperable financial infrastructure tailored to the needs of modern commerce in Asia and beyond.
With operations across key international trade corridors, LianLian Global serves millions of merchants worldwide, particularly in e-commerce and cross-border trade.
The partnership will also explore using Circle’s layer-1 blockchain Arc to support future payment use cases across the LianLian Global network, reinforcing the role of stablecoins in the evolution of regulated digital payments.
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