Circle’s Wall Street debut has ignited investor
frenzy, with its stock exploding past $138 just days after going public. The
rally follows a mix of strategic moves and heavy interest from major players
like ARK Invest and Japan’s SBI Group, highlighting surging global appetite for
the stablecoin issuer.
Circle (CRCL), the company behind USD Coin (USDC), saw
its shares skyrocket from its IPO price of $31 to an intraday high of $138.57
on Monday, though it later pared back gains. On its first trading day, the stock opened at $69 and
closed at $83.23, marking a 169% jump from the IPO price.
SBI’s $50 Million Bet on Circle
Much of the renewed interest stems from a strategic
$50 million investment by SBI Holdings and SBI Shinsei Bank. SBI, a
long-standing partner of Ripple, is facilitating Circle’s expansion into Japan
through SBI VC Trade.
The move grants Circle a direct channel into the
tightly regulated and lucrative Japanese crypto market. The partnership may help USDC carve out a firmer
position in Asia’s stablecoin ecosystem, which has so far been dominated by
Tether (USDT).
I am incredibly proud and thrilled to share that @circle is now a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under $CRCL!12 years ago we set out to build a company that could help remake the global economic system by re-imagining and re-building it from the ground up… pic.twitter.com/okcH0ys6Tc
— Jeremy Allaire – jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) June 5, 2025
Adding to the momentum, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest made
headlines by acquiring nearly 4.5 million Circle shares on the first day of
trading. The purchase, worth $373 million at closing prices, reflects ARK’s
growing interest in companies tied to blockchain infrastructure. The firm
already holds major positions in Coinbase, Robinhood, and Block.
Read more: Circle Shares Soar 235% on First Day of NYSE Trading
Interestingly, ARK funded this aggressive Circle
purchase by offloading $39 million in Coinbase shares, $18.5 million in
Robinhood, and $10.4 million in Block.
The NYSE welcomes @circle in celebration of its IPO! For over a decade, Circle has connected traditional finance and digital assets, seeking to create a secure, always-on digital economy. $CRCL@jerallaire pic.twitter.com/YnHL34puz7
— NYSE 🏛 (@NYSE) June 5, 2025
Valuation Tied to USDC’s Growth
The bullish sentiment around Circle appears closely
tied to USDC’s rising role in global finance. With Circle’s market cap now
accounting for half of all circulating USDC, investors are clearly betting on
the stablecoin’s expansion.
With backers like SBI and ARK, the company is now
well-positioned to test the limits of stablecoin adoption in both traditional
and crypto-native markets.
This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.
