Circle to Launch Arc Blockchain | Live Crypto Updates | Aug. 15, 2025

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From Ethereum to Ripple, from Aave to treasury companies, we’re tracking today’s most important crypto and AI stories as they unfold. This article will be updated throughout the day.

Circle Unveils ‘Arc’ Blockchain to Power Stablecoin Finance

Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) has announced Arc, an open Layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoin finance, as part of its Q2 2025 earnings report.

• Arc is designed to serve as an enterprise-grade foundation for payments, foreign exchange, and capital markets applications, featuring USDC as its native gas token and an integrated stablecoin FX engine.
• The network will also offer sub-second settlement finality and opt-in privacy controls.

The blockchain is set to launch in public testnet this fall, positioning Circle to deliver a full-stack platform for the “internet financial system” while deepening its role in the rapidly expanding stablecoin sector.

Sonic Launches Testnet 2.1 With Ethereum Pectra Upgrade Compatibility

Sonic Labs has announced the release of Sonic Testnet 2.1, introducing compatibility with Ethereum’s upcoming Pectra upgrade. The update expands Sonic’s technical capabilities and marks another step toward its planned mainnet launch.

According to the team, the integration will allow developers to test new features aligned with Ethereum’s evolving protocol standards, ensuring a smoother transition when Pectra goes live. Sonic Labs says mainnet deployment is “coming soon.”

US SEC Officially Drops Lawsuit Against Ripple, Pledges Focus on Clear Crypto Rules

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has formally ended its lawsuit against Ripple, closing a case that accused the company of raising $1.3 billion through unregistered XRP sales. The resolution ends years of litigation that have shaped regulatory debates around digital assets.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins and Commissioner Hester Peirce said the agency will now turn its attention to developing clear rules for the cryptocurrency sector. “Minds once occupied with litigation now can concentrate on creating a clear regulatory framework for crypto,” Peirce noted. Atkins emphasized the opportunity to “shift our energy from the courtroom to the policy drafting table” to foster innovation while safeguarding investors.

Metaplanet Inc. (TSE Standard: 3350) has acquired an additional 518 BTC for ¥9.086 billion ($~61.4 million), paying an average price of ¥17,540,861 ($~118,600) per coin. The purchase increases the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 18,113 BTC, with an aggregate cost basis of ¥270.364 billion ($~1.83 billion) at an average price of ¥14,926,496 ($~101,000) per BTC.

The company reported a quarter-to-date BTC Yield of 26.6% as of August 12, 2025 — a proprietary metric designed to track Bitcoin accumulation per fully diluted share. Metaplanet’s aggressive Bitcoin Treasury Operations, launched as an official business line in December 2024, have been funded through capital market activities and operating income, making it one of the largest publicly disclosed corporate Bitcoin holders in Japan.

Aave Controls 80% of Ethereum’s Outstanding Debt as TVL Hits $47B

Aave’s share of Ethereum’s decentralized lending market has climbed to roughly 80% of all outstanding debt, which emphasizes its dominance as DeFi’s lending backbone. The protocol’s total value locked has surged from $8 billion at the start of 2024 to $47 billion today, supported by a growing base of over 1,000 active borrowers.

The rise reflects DeFi’s appeal over traditional finance, with permissionless access, transparent smart contract execution, and yield-earning tokenized deposits that let users borrow against collateral and redeploy funds across strategies. Aave’s growth is also tied to increasing institutional adoption, positioning decentralized lending as a bridge between traditional capital markets and crypto-native financial infrastructure.

This article is published on BitPinas: Circle to Launch Arc Blockchain | Live Crypto Updates | Aug. 15, 2025

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