Circle Sells 1.24 Million Shares to Binance at $80.84; Binance to Promote USDC
Binance purchased $100 million in Circle Class A shares at $80.84 each, closing on September 17, 2026, as disclosed in an SEC filing. The deal includes a five-year commercial agreement where Circle pays Binance a monthly fee based on USDC balances held through its Modular Smart Contract Wallet, and Binance promotes USDC on its platform. Binance is barred from selling or hedging the shares for two years. The agreement supersedes prior deals from 2024 and 2025.
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Binance invests $100 million in Circle, expands partnership to boost USDC stablecoin
Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has taken a $100 million equity stake in Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin. The investment, disclosed in an SEC filing, involved Circle issuing Binance 1,237,011 Class A common shares at $80.84 each through a private placement that closed on September 17, 2026. The per-share price was a discount to Circle's market value at the time. Binance is barred from selling or hedging the shares for up to two years, though it retains voting rights. The deal is bundled with an expanded five-year commercial agreement that replaces prior arrangements from 2024 and 2025. Under the new terms, Circle will pay Binance a monthly incentive fee based on USDC held through Circle's Modular Smart Contract Wallet. In exchange, Binance has committed to additional promotional activities for USDC on its exchange. The agreement includes early-termination provisions for either party. Following the news, Circle's stock (CRCL) rose 1.45% to $95.70 at market open.
Read sourceBinance invests $100 million in Circle, signs five-year USDC stablecoin promotion deal
Binance purchased $100 million worth of Circle Internet Group stock and entered into a new five-year commercial agreement to promote USDC, the dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle. The stock sale and commercial agreement closed on September 17, 2026, with Binance paying $80.84 per share for 1,237,011 shares of Circle's Class A common stock, approximately 5% below the market closing price of $85.09. Under the agreement, Circle will pay Binance a monthly fee based on USDC balances held through its Modular Smart Contract Wallet infrastructure service, in exchange for Binance promoting USDC on its platform. Either party can terminate early under specified circumstances. The new arrangement supersedes prior agreements from November 2024 and August 2025. Binance is prohibited from selling, pledging, or hedging its shares for two years, though voting rights remain intact. Richard Teng, co-CEO of Binance, stated the investment represents 'long-duration conviction' in making a stable digital dollar widely accessible. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said they see opportunities to expand dollar access and support savings in emerging markets. Circle stock gained nearly 2% in premarket trading, and USDC's market cap stands at approximately $75 billion.
Read sourceBinance Invests $100 Million in Circle Under Five-Year USDC Promotion Agreement
Binance has acquired a $100 million stake in Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, through a private placement of 1,237,011 Class A shares at $80.84 each, according to an SEC filing. The deal closed on September 17, 2026, and is part of a five-year commercial agreement where Circle will pay Binance a monthly incentive fee based on USDC held through its Modular Smart Contract Wallet service, and Binance will promote USDC on its platform. The agreement supersedes prior deals from November 2024 and August 2025. Binance is restricted from selling or hedging the shares for two years. The shares were purchased at a discount to Circle's market price; CRCL closed at $94.49 on September 21, valuing the stake at approximately $116.9 million. The deal closed a day after Circle launched its Arc Layer 1 network with BlackRock, DTCC, and Visa as validators. Compass Point analysts initiated coverage of Circle at neutral in June 2025, noting its distribution partners are largely crypto firms. Separately, Bloomberg reported that federal prosecutors are investigating whether Binance violated U.S. sanctions on Iran.
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Binance Invests $100 Million in Circle Equity, SEC Filing Shows
Binance has purchased $100 million worth of Class A shares in Circle Internet Group, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on September 22, 2026. Circle issued 1,237,011 shares to Binance at $80.84 each under an agreement signed September 17, a 14% discount to the prior close. The shares were sold privately and are subject to a two-year lockup, during which Binance cannot hedge the position. Binance retains full voting rights. Alongside the equity, the firms signed a five-year commercial agreement for Binance to promote USDC through Circle's Modular Smart Contract Wallet, with Circle paying a monthly incentive fee based on USDC balances held in that infrastructure. The deal came after the CLARITY Act stalled in the Senate, causing Circle shares to drop 11%, though the stock has since recovered to $94.49. Circle has a market value near $25.8 billion and trades at about 19 times earnings.
Read sourceCircle Sells 1.24 Million Shares to Binance at $80.84; Binance to Promote USDC
According to a report from Cailianshe on September 22, Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has sold 1.24 million shares of its stock to cryptocurrency exchange Binance at a price of $80.84 per share. As part of the agreement, Binance will promote and support the use of the USDC stablecoin on its trading platform. The transaction represents a strategic partnership between the two major crypto firms, aiming to increase the adoption and liquidity of USDC within Binance's ecosystem.