ClearBank has joined Circle’s payments network, expanding regulated access to MiCA‑compliant stablecoins. Through Circle Mint, European banks can issue and redeem USDC alongside EURC under the EU’s MiCA rules. The move aims to speed up regulated cross‑border payments and touches corporate treasuries, fintechs and remittance firms, as reported by outlets such as Coindesk and Fintech Magazine.
Money can now settle day and night in a system that keeps customer funds in regulated custody and backs every token one‑for‑one with cash or short‑dated government debt. This setup reduces wait times and removes many intermediaries compared with traditional correspondent banking.
The deal sits within the EU’s MiCA rulebook, which requires stablecoin issuers to hold reserves in safe assets, publish audited reports, and obtain a licence. Circle met these demands early and won approval for USDC alongside EURC, and the Circle Payments Network (CPN) went live on its mainnet in May 2025.
ClearBank, a UK neobank with operations in Amsterdam, has signed to connect its cloud‑based API directly to CPN and use Circle Mint. The link allows ClearBank to create or destroy tokens for clients while MiCA oversight applies at every step. The technical plan joins ClearBank’s API to Circle’s blockchain rails, enabling payments to clear in seconds, including weekends, while bypassing the legacy correspondent bank chain that adds days and fees.
Implications for MiCA-compliant stablecoins
On the upside, more European banks and funds may adopt regulated stablecoins, with tokenised euro–dollar pairs trading in deeper liquidity pools. Treasury desks that still rely on wire transfers could face fresh competition from programmable settlement.
On the downside, operational and regulatory risks remain. If the network stalls or a custody fault emerges, ClearBank must resolve it quickly, and regulators in multiple countries need alignment on supervising cross‑border token flows. Fintech Magazine notes that ClearBank aims to sit between traditional banking and certified digital cash, bridging established rails and compliant token settlement.
The next test is adoption and outcomes: as ClearBank’s corporate clients begin minting and redeeming MiCA‑grade USDC or EURC, observers will watch whether payments complete faster and at lower cost, validating the promised efficiency gains.
