Circle Unveils Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol V2 on Stellar, Expanding USDC Interoperability 

Circle announced that its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) V2 is coming to the Stellar network, improving interoperability for USDC, the world’s leading regulated stablecoin.

Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) V2 is coming to Stellar.

This will connect Stellar to the multichain @USDC ecosystem through CCTP, boosting liquidity, and giving developers programmable cross-chain transfers.

Learn more ⬇️https://t.co/yQQAEmbjhE

— Stellar (@StellarOrg) September 18, 2025

The upgrade will allow users to seamlessly transfer USDC between Stellar and more than 15 other blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, and Base, unlocking deeper liquidity and wider use cases for the Stellar ecosystem.

Seamless Cross-Chain Liquidity

Historically, users faced challenges when moving USDC across different blockchains, often relying on custodial bridges or Circle accounts. Liquidity was fragmented, making it difficult to dynamically manage assets between ecosystems. With CCTP V2, Stellar becomes natively interoperable with every other CCTP-enabled blockchain.

This integration allows USDC liquidity to flow freely, providing exchanges, wallets, and DeFi protocols with more efficient access. For decentralized exchanges (DEXs), this means better rates for traders, while centralized exchanges (CEXs) can consolidate liquidity rather than maintaining isolated pools.

Programmable Transfers for Developers

CCTP V2 isn’t just about liquidity—it also introduces programmability. Developers can embed cross-chain USDC transfers directly into their decentralized applications (dApps), enabling seamless integration with the Stellar network.

Projects can even include metadata within transfers that can trigger autonomous actions on the destination chain via Hooks, opening up new possibilities for automation and innovation.

By building on top of CCTP V2, developers can leverage Stellar’s strengths—fast, low-cost payments and robust offramping options—without having to design complex multi-chain liquidity strategies. This creates a unified development experience across chains and accelerates the adoption of cross-chain finance.

Eliminating Bridge Risk with Native Transfers

A key innovation of CCTP V2 is its 1:1 burning and minting process. Instead of relying on wrapped tokens or custodial intermediaries, USDC is burned on the source chain and minted natively on the destination chain. This model eliminates bridge risk, improves transaction security, and ensures settlement can occur in seconds.

For users and businesses, this means simpler, safer, and faster movement of capital across chains. The efficiency of this model also boosts confidence for institutions that require predictable liquidity and compliance-grade infrastructure.

Strengthening Stellar’s Global Payments Role

The Stellar network already powers global payments with low fees, near-instant settlement, and a network of 475,000+ MoneyGram locations for fiat on- and off-ramps. With CCTP V2, Stellar extends its role in cross-border finance by linking directly to the broader multichain USDC ecosystem.

This upgrade makes Stellar a hub for stablecoin liquidity while enabling new financial applications, from treasury management to cross-chain lending. As programmable money gains traction, CCTP V2 ensures Stellar remains at the forefront of innovation, bridging traditional payments with the multichain future.