Circle to Launch Private Version of USDC for Banks - Unchained

Stablecoin issuer Circle is rolling out a privacy-enhanced stablecoin called USDCx on the layer 1 blockchain Aleo, aiming to give institutions “banking-level privacy” while preserving regulatory compliance.

USDCx is a USDC‑backed, dollar-pegged stablecoin issued via Circle’s xReserve infrastructure. It is designed so that value remains tied 1:1 to reserves like standard USDC, but transactions occur in a privacy-preserving environment rather than on a fully transparent public ledger.

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On Aleo, USDCx transactions will be processed using zero‑knowledge cryptography, so onchain observers only see opaque data rather than clear sender, receiver, and amount information.

However, each USDCx transaction creates a “compliance record” that Circle can access if requested by law enforcement or regulators, meaning the system is not fully anonymous.

Targeted primarily at banks and legacy traditional finance firms, USDCx has already launched on Aleo’s testnet, with plans to go live on mainnet around late January.