'Top Pick for Korean Retail Investors in U.S. Stocks' Circle to Issue Its Own Token, Launching Arc Ecosystem [Crypto Briefing]

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[Financial News] Circle Internet Group (CRCL, Circle) has officially announced plans to issue its own token, becoming the first listed company among stablecoin issuers to do so. Beyond issuing USD Coin (USDC), the company has begun moving toward a vertically integrated ecosystem built around its own blockchain, Arc. Circle is emerging as a leading growth stock in the portfolios of Korean retail investors in U.S. stocks, alongside Tesla and NVIDIA Corporation.
According to the financial investment industry and foreign media on the 13th, Circle disclosed its plan to issue an ARC token during its first-quarter earnings conference call this year. Since the launch of the Trump administration, this is effectively the first case in which a major U.S.-listed company has officially announced the issuance of a general-purpose token other than a stablecoin.
Circle has allocated a significant portion of the total ARC token supply to ecosystem incentives. The strategy is to encourage voluntary participation by rewarding those who develop or use services based on the Arc blockchain. Industry observers say the token is well suited as a tool for incentive design. It is also expected to create strong synergies with the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, a bill that would provide the legal foundation for accelerating the expansion of the AI agent economy.
The biggest concern when a listed company issues a token is a potential conflict of rights between existing shareholders and token holders. Tokens are often seen as potentially diluting the value of shares, but Circle is being praised for establishing a shareholder-centered structure by listing first and issuing tokens later.
Industry analysts said shareholders are naturally in a stronger position because Circle went public first, giving them clearly defined legal rights. In particular, with Circle holding 25% of the total ARC token supply, the company is seen as having a structure in which a rise in token value directly contributes to its corporate valuation.
According to the Korea Securities Depository (KSD), the amount of Circle shares held by Korean retail investors in U.S. stocks stands at about $1.1639 billion, ranking 31st among overseas stocks. Net buying over the previous month was also estimated at about $120 million.
Market expectations were fully reflected in the stock price. According to Investing.com, Circle shares, which closed at $98.68 on the 13th of last month, have risen by about 25% over the past month.
BlackRock and ARK Invest, Circle's strategic partners, also participated in the ARC token presale. Through this, Circle raised a total of $220 million.
Sungwook Hong, a researcher at NH Investment & Securities, said that if regulatory uncertainty eases after the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act is passed, other listed companies are also likely to issue tokens. Hong noted, "A scenario in which Coinbase issues a 'BASE token' on its own blockchain is also possible," adding, "Coinbase is not only the leading U.S. exchange, but has also already grown into one of the leading blockchains in the blockchain sector."
elikim@fnnews.com Kim Mi-hee Reporter