Binance invests $100 million in Circle under expanded USDC partnership

Binance has committed $100 million to stablecoin issuer Circle as part of a renewed five‑year agreement aimed at expanding the use of USDC on the exchange.

Deal structure

Circle issued Binance 1,237,011 shares of its Class A common stock at $80.84 per share in a private placement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 17. The price represented a discount to Circle’s market price at the time.

Incentive and promotion terms

Under the agreement, Circle will pay Binance a monthly incentive fee tied to the amount of USDC held through Circle’s Modular Smart Contract Wallet infrastructure. Binance also pledged to undertake additional activities to promote USDC on its platform.

Share lock‑up

Binance has agreed not to sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Circle shares for up to two years, though the restriction may end earlier if the commercial agreement is terminated under certain conditions. Voting rights on the shares remain with Binance during the lock‑up period.

Background

The new arrangement replaces earlier agreements signed in November 2024 and August 2025. While the term is set for five years, either party may terminate early under specified circumstances.