Starknet Turns on Native USDC and CCTP Across Its Network

• Starknet adds native USDC and CCTP, expanding regulated settlement across Layer 2 networks.
• Trading, payments, and gaming apps gain unified USDC liquidity and cross-chain stability tools.
• Japan and Soneium advance parallel stablecoin projects, widening global digital-currency adoption.

Starknet has activated native USDC and Circle’s Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), signaling a shift toward enterprise-level settlement infrastructure on Ethereum Layer 2 networks.

The update introduces regulated dollar liquidity and standardized cross-chain movement for developers, market makers, and payment platforms building on Starknet. This arrival of institutional stablecoin infrastructure coincides with broader developments in stablecoin adoption across Japan and on Soneium, signaling a wider shift toward programmable digital money systems.

Starknet Integrates Native USDC to Strengthen Institutional Settlement

Circle confirmed that Starknet now supports USDC through a native implementation rather than bridged tokens. This transition gives the zk-rollup network direct access to a fully reserved, U.S. dollar-redeemable stablecoin. Eligible institutional users can access Circle Mint for regulated on-ramp and off-ramp services, enabling them to settle trades, manage treasury operations, and move funds with standardized compliance expectations.

The rollout aligns with Starknet’s design as an Ethereum-secured scaling environment powered by STARK proofs. The network supports more than 125 applications across DeFi, gaming, payments, and trading. With native USDC now available, these applications gain access to stable collateral, predictable settlement cycles, and infrastructure suited for high-volume liquidity provisioning.

CCTP serves as a key component of the update. The protocol enables USDC to be transferred between Starknet and 18 supported blockchains by burning the asset on the origin chain and minting it on the destination chain. This layout eliminates reliance on wrapped tokens and preserves full value consistency across ecosystems.

Six platforms launched with immediate support for native USDC, including Avnu, Ekubo, and Vesu, which incorporated the stablecoin into spot and perpetual markets. Market makers operating across these venues can now settle positions and manage liquidity with a regulated dollar asset rather than bridged alternatives. Starknet’s teams will maintain the existing Ethereum-bridged USDC.e during a migration window, and interfaces will clearly distinguish between versions as liquidity shifts.

Launch Partners Expand Cross-Chain Payments and Wallet Capabilities

In addition to trading integrations, multiple payment and wallet providers launched support for USDC on the same day. Braavos wallet and Ready payments introduced tools for users and merchants, while Xverse provided global peer-to-peer transactions. Starknet’s gaming applications are now capable of executing in-game transactions with regulated digital dollars, rather than synthetic or unverified stablecoins. 

The larger digital-currency market also saw some movement. In Soneium, the institutional-grade stablecoin USDSC was introduced, which was built on the infrastructure developed by M0, the same startup that worked with MetaMask and Stripe on programmable stablecoin products. Startale is introducing STAR Points to reward USDSC minting, holding, and interactions in the Startale App.

In the meantime, Japan is developing its regulated stablecoin system. The regulators have allowed pilot projects of yen-based tokens by MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho. Sony Bank, which was established early this year, is said to issue its own stablecoin in 2025. Startale partnered with SBI Holdings to develop a continuous-operation digital asset exchange that aligns with Japan’s broader shift towards tokenized assets.