Why did Circle stock jump nearly 16%?

CRCL surged after Circle reported stronger earnings, rising USDC adoption and a successful $222 million ARC token presale. Investors also reacted positively to growing institutional interest in stablecoin infrastructure.

How much has Circle stock gained in 2026?

Circle shares are now up roughly 66% year-to-date after Monday’s rally. The surge pushed the company’s market value to approximately $35 billion.

What were Circle’s latest earnings results?

Circle reported first-quarter revenue of $694 million, up 20% year-on-year. Adjusted earnings also climbed 24% to $151 million as stablecoin activity and blockchain payment usage expanded.

How large is Circle’s USDC stablecoin business now?

USD Coin circulation reached $77 billion at the end of the first quarter, representing 28% annual growth. USDC remains the second-largest stablecoin globally behind Tether’s USDT.

What is the ARC token and why does it matter?

Circle raised $222 million through a presale of its ARC utility token tied to the company’s Arc blockchain network. The token is designed to support transactions and ecosystem activity across Circle’s blockchain infrastructure.

How much is Circle’s Arc network worth?

The ARC token presale valued the Arc blockchain project at roughly $3 billion. Major investors included a16z Crypto, BlackRock, Apollo Global Management and ARK Invest.

Why are Wall Street analysts bullish on Circle?

Analysts believe stablecoins are moving beyond crypto trading into mainstream payments, settlements and financial infrastructure. Circle’s strong USDC growth and expanding blockchain ecosystem are supporting expectations for long-term revenue expansion.

What price targets are analysts setting for Circle stock?

Citigroup analyst Peter Christiansen set a $243 price target for Circle shares, while Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani projected a target of $190. Both analysts maintain bullish ratings on the stock.

Circle jumps 15% on stablecoin growth optimism

Written by Jon CuthbertPublished May. 12 2026Last Updated May. 12 2026

CRCL climbed almost 16% on Monday after Circle reported stronger earnings and disclosed a $222 million ARC token presale tied to its blockchain infrastructure expansion plans.

Circle shares closed at $131.76, their highest level since March, extending the stock’s 2026 gain to roughly 66% and pushing the company’s market value to around $35 billion.

The company said circulation of USD Coin rose 28% year-on-year to $77 billion at the end of the first quarter, reinforcing Circle’s position as the second-largest stablecoin issuer behind Tether.

First-quarter revenue increased 20% to $694 million while adjusted earnings rose 24% to $151 million as stablecoin adoption and blockchain payment activity continued expanding.

“The successful adoption of the Arc network, including through the benefit of the ARC token, has a huge flywheel effect onto our stablecoin network and our digital assets,”

Said Jeremy Allaire.

Circle also revealed it had raised $222 million through a presale of its ARC utility token, valuing the Arc blockchain network at approximately $3 billion with backing from investors including a16z Crypto, BlackRock, Apollo Global Management and ARK Invest.

Wall Street analysts remained broadly bullish on Circle, with Citigroup analyst Peter Christiansen setting a $243 price target and Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani projecting shares could reach $190 as stablecoin use cases expand beyond crypto trading.