The decision will expand Circle’s blockchain infrastructure, though the Axelar Network itself will remain separate and managed by its community.
The acquisition, expected to be completed in early 2026, includes Interop Labs’ employees and its proprietary technology. However, the Axelar Network, its foundation, and the AXL token will continue operating as independent entities under community governance.
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Interop Labs built the original Axelar Network, a decentralized system that enables different blockchains to communicate and transfer assets.
Circle plans to use this technology to strengthen its Arc blockchain and the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), which enables the transfer of digital assets across various blockchains.
Another contributor, Common Prefix, will take over the responsibilities previously held by Interop Labs. This handover is meant to keep the open-source project active and consistent for developers already working with it.
Circle stated that adding Interop Labs’ experience and tools will make it easier to move assets between chains on Arc, improve resources for developers creating multichain applications, and support new Circle products built on this foundation.
On December 9, Circle received approval from Abu Dhabi’s FSRA to operate as a licensed Money Services Provider. What did the company say? Read the full story.
