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Circle buys nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patents to bolster USDC
Circle says the patent portfolio includes more than 680 patent families and will support USDC, its Circle Payments Network and compliance-focused onchain settlement tooling.
Circle has acquired nearly 1,000 IBM blockchain patents, aiming to strengthen the infrastructure linking USD Coin (USDC) with banks and payment networks, according to a July 27 statement described by CryptoSlate. The deal adds a portfolio spanning blockchain technology, banking and financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations.
Circle said the acquisition makes it the leading holder of blockchain patents in the United States, with the patents intended to support USDC, Circle Payments Network, its Arc blockchain, and a growing set of onchain and agentic financial tools. Circle and IBM also plan to explore additional commercial opportunities.
CryptoSlate reports that the value of IBM’s patents for Circle lies in filings that address where blockchain assets meet conventional settlement and compliance systems. One active IBM patent, “Blockchain settlement network” (US11599858B2), describes moving digital value over a blockchain alongside an off-chain payment and monitoring until the external transfer settles, and it remains active through 2041.
Another active IBM patent cited by CryptoSlate, “Blockchain compliance verification network” (US11676117B2), focuses on capturing payment information and preserving compliance and settlement records on a blockchain, with specifications addressing AML, KYC, sanctions compliance, and ISO 20022 payment messaging. The report also points to a separate application, “Real-time blockchain settlement network” (US20220172198A1), which describes payment networks operating in parallel with blockchain settlement.