USDC AI Payments Reach 99% Share as Circle Eyes 60% Stock Upside
Circle’s chief executive has put a number on something the crypto industry has been buzzing about quietly for months: USDC AI payments now make up nearly the entire market for machine-driven transactions. According to Coinfomania, Circle’s CEO, Allaire, said USDC holds a 99% share of payments made by artificial intelligence systems, a figure that reframes how investors and developers should think about where stablecoins are headed next.
Key takeaways
- USDC controls roughly 99% of AI payment activity, according to remarks from Circle’s CEO reported by Coinfomania.
- USDC is a dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by Circle, backed 1:1 by reserves and subject to regulatory compliance requirements.
- USDC’s supply grew by about $2 billion in seven days, according to a Bernstein research note cited by Cointelegraph, reversing six months of flat growth.
- Bernstein set a $140 price target on Circle stock (CRCL), implying roughly 60% upside, while USDC’s share of adjusted stablecoin transaction volume climbed from about 40% in 2025 to more than 60% in 2026, overtaking Tether’s USDT by that measure.
- Regulators continue to scrutinize stablecoins as digital payment methods, including QR codes and instant settlements, expand globally.
USDC’s Dominance in AI Payments
USDC’s near-total grip on AI-driven transactions signals that stablecoins have quietly become the default settlement layer for machine-to-machine commerce. Allaire’s disclosure of the 99% share came as the broader crypto market showed mixed momentum, with several assets moving in different directions at once. Against that backdrop, USDC’s position looked notably steady.
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