Circle announced it has acquired more than 680 blockchain patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents from IBM’s blockchain portfolio.
- Circle said the acquisition makes it one of the largest holders of blockchain-related patents in the U.S.
- Circle and IBM stated they will explore additional commercial opportunities beyond the patent acquisition.
- The USDC issuer noted that it plans to use the intellectual property to strengthen products, including USDC, Circle Payments Network, and its Arc blockchain platform.
Shares of Circle (CRCL) rallied in morning trade on Monday amid a broader market recovery, after the company announced it has acquired fundamental assets from IBM’s (IBM) blockchain patent portfolio.
Circle stated it had acquired the portfolio of more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide, spanning foundational blockchain technology, banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.
Circle said the deal makes it one of the largest holders of blockchain patents in the U.S. Financial terms were not disclosed. CRCL’s stock rose over 5% in morning trade. On Stockwits, retail sentiment around the USDC stablecoin (USDC) issuer remained in ‘bearish’ territory over the past day.
IBM’s stock also rose around 2% in morning trade. Retail sentiment around the enterprise firm remained in ‘neutral’ territory over the past day.
Circle Expands Blockchain Patent Portfolio With IBM Deal
The company stated the acquisition would directly support its core product lineup of the USDC stablecoin, Circle Payments Network, and its Arc blockchain. Circle and IBM also said they plan to explore further commercial opportunities together.
Sarah Wilson, Circle’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, stated that the deal “expands Circle’s ability to advance the infrastructure that powers global, internet-native finance.”
CRCL stock has fallen nearly 20% this year and over 66% in the last 12 months.
Stablecoin Competition Continues To Intensify
The news comes at a time when competition in the stablecoin market is increasing following the passage of the GENIUS Act last year, with analysts questioning whether Circle can continue its upward trajectory.
The timing also lines up with a period of rapid build-out for Circle’s own product stack. They are also watching for the CLARITY Act to be passed, currently caught in a stalemate within the Senate, with lawmakers attempting to pass it before the August recess kicks in.
The gains in CRCL stock came as the cryptocurrency moved higher over the past 24 hours, led by Ethereum (ETH). Bitcoin (BTC) rose back above $65,000, marking a 1.6% gain in the last 24 hours.
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