Just In: Binance Invests $100 Million in Circle as the Two Expand Their Five-Year USDC Partnership

Circle (NYSE: CRCL) disclosed in a September 22 Form 8-K that its subsidiaries entered into a new five-year agreement with Binance on September 17 to expand USDC adoption, replacing agreements signed in November 2024 and August 2025. Circle will pay Binance monthly incentive fees based on a percentage of USDC held through Circle’s Modular Smart Contract Wallet infrastructure service, while Binance will undertake additional USDC promotional activities on its platform. On the same day, Binance purchased 1,237,011 shares of Circle’s Class A common stock at a discounted price of $80.84 per share, for a total of $100 million. The transaction has closed. The shares are generally subject to a two-year transfer restriction, with certain early termination provisions and exceptions. — link