ClearBank, a UK-based regulated fintech bank, has signed a framework agreement with Circle Internet Financial to expand the use of the stablecoins USDC and EURC across Europe.
Announced on Monday, the partnership integrates ClearBank’s regulated banking systems with Circle’s blockchain rails. The goal is to facilitate faster and cheaper cross-border transfers, showcasing how traditional financial institutions are beginning to integrate digital currencies into their core payment systems.
ClearBank will join the Circle Payments Network (CPN) and integrate with Circle Mint, allowing its clients (including financial institutions and fintechs) to issue and redeem stablecoins directly.
ClearBank CEO Mark Fairless called the collaboration a "milestone," emphasizing that combining ClearBank’s cloud platform with Circle’s digital-asset expertise will allow clients to "transact globally at internet speed." Circle’s VP for Partnerships EMEA, Sanja Kon, noted that the deal represents a step toward an "open, programmable financial system" that will bring greater transparency and efficiency to institutional payments.
This move aligns with a broader trend in Europe, as the region prepares for the MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) regulation, set to take effect in 2026. MiCA will impose strict reserve and auditing requirements on stablecoin issuers. The article notes that several European banks, including ING, ABN AMRO, and Banco Santander, are already piloting digital currency and tokenized deposit solutions.
Analysts believe this accelerating adoption—with over 60% of EU financial firms planning blockchain payment pilots by 2026—could position Europe ahead of the US in the regulated digital finance space.
October 2025, Cryptoniteuae