Circle Partners with Polymarket for Native USDC Settlement

Circle Internet Group has announced a partnership with Polymarket to provide native USDC settlement infrastructure for the prediction market platform. The collaboration will see Polymarket transition from Bridged USDC to native USDC in the coming months.

Circle 🤝 @Polymarket

Circle has partnered with Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, to support the next evolution of onchain financial markets.

This partnership focuses on:
→ Bringing transparent, fully-reserved stablecoin infrastructure to prediction markets… pic.twitter.com/5lNfUPG3xu

— Circle (@circle) February 5, 2026

Circle, which trades on the NYSE under ticker CRCL, described itself as one of the world’s leading internet financial platform companies. Polymarket currently ranks as the world’s largest prediction market platform.

The transition will move Polymarket away from Bridged USDC (USDC.e) on Polygon, which currently serves as collateral for all trading activity. Native USDC is issued by Circle’s regulated affiliates and maintains 1:1 redeemability for US dollars.

Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at Circle, commented on the deal. He stated that the internet financial system built by Circle enables money and capital to operate at internet speed with consumer-friendly experiences.

Allaire noted that Polymarket has led innovation in connecting information speed with market speed. The partnership aims to bring USDC utility and speed to Polymarket users.

Polymarket Eyes Institutional-Grade Infrastructure

Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket, addressed the partnership’s significance. He stated that Circle has built critical infrastructure in the crypto space.

Coplan emphasized that native USDC supports a consistent, dollar-denominated settlement standard. This standard enhances market integrity and reliability as platform participation grows.

Polymarket now joins a roster of established financial and market-infrastructure institutions. The prediction market is working toward building a transparent, institutional-grade platform.

Circle joins companies such as Intercontinental Exchange in helping define modern standards for regulated, high-integrity markets. Polymarket has adopted a similarly long-term approach to expanding regulated, onchain financial infrastructure.

The collaboration aligns with broader digital asset ecosystem trends. Payment stablecoins are increasingly integrating into trusted, onchain financial systems across the industry.

MLS Enters Prediction Market Arena

Meanwhile, Polymarket secured another major partnership in January 2026. Major League Soccer announced a multi-year deal making Polymarket an official partner of the league.

Today Soccer United Marketing and @Polymarket announced multi-year partnerships with @MLS and @LeaguesCup that will offer new ways for fans to engage with matches and follow season-long storylines by integrating prediction markets into the fan experience. https://t.co/EYzJx98hcx pic.twitter.com/kMBU9rup1w

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) January 26, 2026

Soccer United Marketing, the commercial arm of MLS, announced the agreement. The partnership covers MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup, and Leagues Cup in the United States.

The deal positions MLS among the first global soccer leagues to integrate prediction market technology. Fan engagement strategies will now incorporate blockchain-based prediction markets.

The timing coincides with North American soccer’s preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. MLS and Leagues Cup are entering a period of increased visibility on the global stage.

This heightened attention creates opportunities for innovative fan experiences. Polymarket stands to benefit from exposure to mainstream sports audiences through the partnership.

The MLS deal follows Polymarket’s continued expansion into traditional market infrastructure. Both partnerships signal growing acceptance of prediction markets within regulated financial and entertainment sectors.

Circle’s native USDC integration and the MLS partnership represent significant milestones for Polymarket. The prediction market platform continues building credibility across crypto and mainstream industries alike.