USDC Issuer Circle Silently Prepares for a Potential 2024 IPO

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• The crypto company behind the widely used USDC stablecoin, Circle Internet Financial, is contemplating an initial public offering (IPO) in early 2024. - Advertisement - Bloomberg disclosed this development in a recent report, citing sources privy to the matter. Circle IPO Talks and Valuation  According to the report, Circle is currently discussing with advisory bodies as it lays the groundwork for a possible IPO. Meanwhile, Bloomberg noted that Circle had not finalized its decision for a public listing, per comments from insiders who pled anonymity. On the other hand, a Circle spokesperson underscored the company’s longstanding goal to become a publicly traded entity in the United States. Yet, the USDC representative declined to comment directly on the speculation about the IPO plan, per the report. - Advertisement - Also, the uncertainty extends to the potential valuation Circle might seek through an IPO. However, the report highlighted that the USDC issuer was previously appraised at $9 billion. This was during a 2022 attempt to merge with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Concord Acquisition Corp. In particular, Bloomberg mentioned that Circle terminated a deal to go public last year through a merger with Concord Acquisition Corp. Besides, the report stated that in a 2022 investment round, Circle was valued at $7.7 billion. On the other hand, the report highlighted Circle’s significant financial backing. It noted the firm secured investments from big names such as BlackRock Inc., General Catalyst Partners, Fidelity Management and Research LLC, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and Marshall Wace LLP.  Notably, USDC is the second most prominent stablecoin in the crypto market, with a valuation exceeding $24 billion. USDC suffered a hiccup earlier this year when Cirlce disclosed a $3.3 billion exposure to the failed Silicon Valley Bank. In particular, USDC momentarily lost its $1 peg but regained it after a few days.