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Circle becomes US's top blockchain patent holder after IBM acquisition
Circle Internet Group announced on July 27 that it acquired IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, adding more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. The purchase makes Circle the largest holder of blockchain patents in the United States, overtaking IBM, which had 790 U.S. blockchain patents as of December 2025.
The acquired patents cover core blockchain technology and applications in banking, payments, insurance, supply‑chain verification and secure cloud operations. Circle says the portfolio will support its stablecoin USDC, the Circle Payments Network, its Arc blockchain and a suite of AI‑driven, agentic finance tools. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, and the companies will explore further commercial opportunities.
Market reaction was modestly positive: Circle’s shares rose about 2–2.5 % after the announcement. The transaction also reflects IBM’s broader shift away from enterprise blockchain offerings toward AI and hybrid cloud.
Entities
Arc · Arc blockchain · Circle Internet Group · Circle Payments Network · IBM · International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) · USD Coin (USDC) · USDC
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Circle’s shares rose about 2 %‑2.5 % after the announcement. npinvestor.dk · www.cryptopolitan.com · www.pymnts.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] The acquisition makes Circle the leading holder of blockchain patents in the United States. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] IBM held 790 U.S. blockchain patents as of December 2025, second to Circle after the acquisition. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] IBM is moving away from enterprise blockchain activities toward AI and hybrid cloud offerings. coin-turk.com
- [● 10 SOURCES] The patents cover blockchain technology, banking, payments, insurance, supply‑chain verification and secure cloud operations. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Circle acquired more than 680 IBM patent families containing nearly 1,000 issued patents worldwide. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] Circle will use the patents to support USDC, the Circle Payments Network, its Arc blockchain and a suite of agentic finance tools. portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br · coinotag.com · coin-turk.com · crypto.news · npinvestor.dk · +5 more