Circle, a stablecoin issuer, intends to shift its legal headquarters from the Republic of Ireland to the United States. According to a report from Bloomberg on Wednesday, the company has filed court documents for this relocation.
This move comes after Circle submitted plans for an initial public offering to the US securities regulator in January. Circle mentioned earlier that the IPO is anticipated to occur after the SEC concludes its review process, contingent upon market conditions and other factors.
Circle Leaves Ireland's Tax Benefits Behind and Heads for US Shores
According to Bloomberg, Circle may incur greater taxes as a result of deciding to relocate to the US. In general, businesses would go in the opposite direction, swarming to Ireland because of its low tax rate and business-friendly atmosphere.
The nation's 12.5% rate is pitiful when compared to numerous other European countries. Because of this, Ireland attracts foreign businesses seeking to minimize their tax obligations.
IPO Waits for Market Conditions and SEC Approval
Since its 2013 launch, Circle has established itself in the cryptocurrency market. It gained notoriety mostly by releasing USDC, a stablecoin linked to the US dollar. With a market valuation of more than $32 billion as of May 2024, USDC has cemented its position as a significant player.
The issuance and administration of USDC constitute Circle's primary operations. The widespread consensus is that stablecoins offer transaction reliability in the frequently erratic cryptocurrency market.
In addition, Circle's 2021 special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger effort was unsuccessful, and this is why the business is planning to go public through a standard IPO. Following SEC permission, the IPO will go forward, however it is still pending due to various considerations and market conditions.
In January, Circle announced intentions to launch USDC on the Celo network. Celo is a Layer-1 blockchain that is transitioning into an Ethereum Layer-2 scaling network. This partnership aims to leverage Celo's user community, which is predominantly mobile-centric, particularly in regions with the highest rates of blockchain adoption.
May 2024, Cryptoniteuae