Circle to Acquire Interop Labs Team, Strengthening Crosschain Infrastructure

Circle, a leading player in the digital asset space, has entered into an agreement to acquire the team and proprietary intellectual property of Interop Labs, a major contributor to the Axelar Network. This strategic acquisition aims to strengthen Circle’s crosschain infrastructure, enhancing the scalability and interoperability of its blockchain ecosystem, according to Circle’s official announcement.

Advancing Crosschain Capabilities

The acquisition is expected to be finalized in early 2026 and is poised to significantly advance Circle’s initiatives across its enterprise-grade L1 blockchain, Arc, as well as its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP). Interop Labs has been pivotal in developing Axelar, known for its secure crosschain messaging and token transfer framework. By integrating Interop Labs’ expertise and technology, Circle aims to accelerate its vision for a seamless, scalable onchain economy.

Impact on Axelar Network

While Interop Labs transitions to Circle, the Axelar Network, including its Foundation and AXL token, will continue to operate independently under community governance. The open-source intellectual property associated with Axelar will remain accessible to the community. Meanwhile, Common Prefix, another key contributor to the Axelar project, will assume Interop Labs’ previous activities, ensuring continuity and ongoing support.

Strategic Goals and Future Developments

Circle’s acquisition will accelerate its efforts to make digital assets issued on Arc interoperable across multiple blockchain networks. This move will also enhance the developer experience and expand SDKs for multichain applications. Additionally, Circle plans to boost the development of first-party applications, further solidifying its position in the blockchain ecosystem.

Sergey Gorbunov, CEO and co-founder of Interop Labs, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built with Axelar and excited to see our team and technology become a core part of Circle’s interoperability strategy.” Nikhil Chandhok, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Circle, added, “Circle is committed to supporting interoperability with many onchain networks, just as we have with USDC, CCTP, and other blockchain infrastructure products from Circle.”

This acquisition underscores Circle’s commitment to enhancing blockchain connectivity and lays the groundwork for the next era of crosschain finance.

For more information, visit the Circle website.

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