Circle, the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, is reportedly in discussions with Ant Group to enable USDC payments through Alipay, potentially extending the stablecoin’s reach to a massive global user base.
According to a Bloomberg report dated July 10, the negotiations are taking place with Ant International, the overseas-focused division of Ant Group.
If finalised, the partnership could integrate USDC into Alipay’s infrastructure outside mainland China—and possibly even within it—depending on future regulatory outcomes.
Such a move would expose Circle’s U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin to Alipay’s vast network of over one billion users worldwide.
The discussions are part of Ant International’s broader plan to adopt more regulated digital assets within its ecosystem. These include stablecoins like USDC, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and tokenised deposit systems.
For Circle, this represents a strategic opportunity to deepen its presence in Asian markets and challenge USDT’s lead in the global stablecoin sector.
In addition to reaching new retail users, a potential partnership with Ant Group could open doors for USDC usage across Alibaba’s vast e-commerce platforms, including AliExpress.
However, the initiative may attract scrutiny from Chinese authorities, who have previously expressed concerns about foreign-backed stablecoins undermining domestic monetary control.
While the talks are still ongoing, any meaningful progress in the collaboration could shape future regulatory responses in China and mark a significant milestone in Circle’s international expansion strategy.
