Arc Blockchain Launchpad: Circle's Stablecoin L1 - RPC, Chain ID and Token Launches

Arc by Circle · Mainnet Summer 2026

The first launchpad
for Arc

Circle, the company behind USDC, is launching Arc this summer: a Layer-1 blockchain where USDC is the gas and finality takes less than a second. Every chain needs a launchpad, and ChainGPT Pad is the first one serving Arc and its builders. Get the network details, add the testnet to your wallet, and be ready before the first token sales open.

Apply to launch

Arc network details and RPC

Everything a wallet or dApp asks for, in one place. The public testnet is live today; Circle publishes the mainnet parameters at launch, and this page will carry them the same day.

Testnet - live now

Network name
Arc Testnet
Chain ID
5042002
Chain ID (hex)
0x4CEF52
RPC URL
https://rpc.testnet.arc.network
Currency
USDC
Explorer
https://testnet.arcscan.app

Mainnet - this summer

Status
Launching Summer 2026
Chain ID
Published at launch
RPC URL
Published at launch
Currency
USDC (native gas)
Explorer
Published at launch

What is Arc?

Arc is an open, EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built by Circle, the issuer of USDC. It is purpose-built for one thing: stablecoin finance. USDC is the native gas token, so fees are priced in dollars instead of a volatile coin. Blocks reach finality in under a second on the Malachite consensus engine, and the network offers opt-in privacy for transactions that need it. If you can deploy to Ethereum, you can deploy to Arc: Foundry, Hardhat, MetaMask, and the rest of the EVM toolchain work unchanged.

The backing is unusually institutional. More than 100 companies joined the testnet phase, including BlackRock, Visa, and Goldman Sachs, and the public testnet processed over 244 million transactions in its first seven months. This is not a chain hoping an ecosystem shows up. It is Circle building a home chain for USDC and opening its doors to builders.

Mainnet is targeted for Summer 2026. ChainGPT Pad is preparing for it now, as the first launchpad committed to Arc, so token launches can run there from the earliest days of the chain.

Launch your token on Arc

If your team is choosing a chain for a token generation event, Arc offers a rare opening: a stablecoin-native environment run by the company behind USDC, with banks and asset managers already at the table. Raising on Arc means your sale, your treasury, and your users' gas all live in the same dollar-denominated unit. ChainGPT Pad brings its full launch stack to it:

  • Token sales. Tiered IDOs and open public sales with KYC, refunds, and on-chain settlement. Pad's public sales already run on USDC deposits, and on Arc, USDC is the chain's native unit.
  • Buzz campaigns. Community attention campaigns that reward real engagement before and after your TGE.
  • Private rounds. Structured VC and strategic fundraising alongside the public sale.

There is also a first-mover incentive written into the chain itself: Circle's whitepaper earmarks 60% of the proposed ARC token supply for ecosystem development. Launches on Pad are curated, and every project goes through due diligence before a sale opens.

Apply to launch on Arc

Get ready for token launches on Arc

The first sales on a new chain are the ones people talk about for years, and they tend to reward the users who were set up before the chain went live. Joining ChainGPT Pad now means your account, KYC, and $CGPT staking tier are already in place when Arc mainnet opens and the first projects go live, with no scrambling through verification while a sale is counting down.

Pad has already taken more than 100 projects to market across 20+ chains, with over $20M raised on the platform. Arc is next. Watch the pools page for the first sales on Arc, or stake $CGPT to secure an allocation tier ahead of them.

Watch live and upcoming pools

Add Arc Testnet to MetaMask manually

  1. Open MetaMask and click the network selector in the top-left corner.
  2. Choose Add network, then Add a network manually.
  3. Enter the details exactly as shown in the network card above: network name Arc Testnet, chain ID 5042002, RPC URL https://rpc.testnet.arc.network, currency USDC, explorer https://testnet.arcscan.app.
  4. Save, switch to Arc Testnet, and grab test USDC from the official faucet at faucet.circle.com.

Prefer the shortcut? The button below sends the same parameters to your wallet through a standard wallet_addEthereumChain request. Mainnet parameters will be added the day Circle publishes them.

Arc Blockchain FAQ

Arc Blockchain FAQ

Arc
Is Arc mainnet live?
Not yet. Circle has targeted Summer 2026 for the Arc mainnet launch, and the whitepaper is already published. The public testnet has been live since October 2025 and had processed over 244 million transactions by May 2026. This page will carry the mainnet RPC and chain ID the day Circle publishes them.
What is the Arc testnet RPC URL and chain ID?
The Arc testnet chain ID is 5042002 (0x4CEF52 in hex) and the public RPC is https://rpc.testnet.arc.network. Provider-hosted endpoints from QuickNode and Blockdaemon are also available. Test USDC comes from the official Circle faucet at faucet.circle.com.
What is Arc?
Arc is an open, EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built by Circle, the issuer of USDC. It is purpose-built for stablecoin finance: USDC is the native gas token, finality is sub-second through the Malachite consensus engine, and the network offers opt-in privacy for institutional use.
Is gas on Arc really paid in USDC?
Yes. USDC is Arc's native gas token, so transaction fees are dollar-denominated and predictable instead of swinging with a volatile gas coin. One detail for developers: native USDC on Arc uses 18 decimals, unlike the 6-decimal ERC-20 USDC on other chains.
How do I add Arc to MetaMask?
Click the Add to Wallet button on this page and approve the prompt, or add it manually: open MetaMask, choose Add network, then Add a network manually, and enter chain ID 5042002 with the RPC URL https://rpc.testnet.arc.network and USDC as the currency. Mainnet parameters will be added here at launch.
Can I launch a token on Arc?
Yes. ChainGPT Pad is the first launchpad serving Arc and is accepting project applications ahead of mainnet. Pad's full stack of token sales, Buzz community campaigns, and private rounds is ready to run on Arc from day one. Project teams can apply through the Pad application form now.
Will there be an ARC token?
Circle's whitepaper outlines a native ARC token with a 10 billion supply, with 60% earmarked for ecosystem development. However, Circle's CEO has described a token launch as still exploratory, and nothing is confirmed. Treat any sale claiming to offer ARC today as a red flag.
Is ChainGPT Pad affiliated with Circle?
No. ChainGPT Pad is an independent launchpad that supports the Arc network. Arc and USDC are trademarks of Circle Internet Group, Inc., and this page is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Circle.

Arc and USDC are trademarks of Circle Internet Group, Inc. ChainGPT Pad is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Circle. Network details on this page describe the public Arc testnet; mainnet parameters will be published by Circle at launch. Nothing on this page is investment advice. Token sales carry risk; always do your own research.