Gateway

Instant* crosschain USDC access

Circle Gateway enables a unified USDC balance, unlocking on-demand liquidity and redefining crosschain UX.

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Access Gateway

Unify your USDC balance

Build with Gateway

Supported by the community

Built for a multichain world

Instant* access

Tap into your unified USDC balance crosschain in <500 ms, and fund it up to 40x faster on supported routes with Fast Deposit. No more pre-positioning capital, forecasting demand, or managing fragmented balances.

Scale to new heights

Easily serve demand for liquidity on multiple chains with less working capital through a single integration.

Maintain full control

Users have full control of their USDC. Funds can only move with their signature, and withdrawals are trustless.

Create a frictionless UX

Deliver one-click, instant* flows and consistent UX across chains without bridging delays or manual rebalancing.

Illustration of an instant transfer being completed between two blockchains.

Abstract away complexity

Build on blockchain without the complexity and embed wallets tailored to your app.

Improve capital efficiency

Eliminate idle capital with a unified USDC balance instantly* accessible crosschain.

Deliver next-block speed

Execute crosschain USDC movement in <500 ms without being constrained by source chain finality delays.

Simplify crosschain operations

Reduce overhead by scaling operations to additional chains without redundant integrations.

Enable 1-click experiences

Achieve crosschain transfers in a single step, eliminating the need for bridging.

Redefining crosschain UX

Circle offers complementary crosschain products, Gateway and CCTP, each purpose-built for distinct use cases and operational needs. The comparison table highlights key differences to help teams choose the right solution.

View docs

	Gateway	CCTP
Use case	Holding a unified USDC balance instantly accessible on supported chains Consolidating native USDC balances across chains to reduce working capital Tapping into on-demand liquidity crosschain instantly	Sending USDC from one chain to another (A → B, B → A, etc.) Native USDC crosschain transfers or using USDC as deep intermediate liquidity for crosschain actions
Transfer speed	Instant (<500 ms) after balance is established.	Dependent on source chain finality for Standard Transfer. ~8-20 seconds for Fast Transfer.
Benefits	Unified balance Instant* transfers No rebalancing or per-chain inventory management	Fast transfers Efficient rebalancing
Blockchains	View supported chains	View supported chains

Access your USDC instantly* crosschain with one signature

Deposit

Deposit USDC to a Gateway Wallet contract to fund a unified USDC balance. Settlement is dependent on source chain finality.

Sign

Submit a signed burn intent via the Gateway API. The Gateway system verifies and responds instantly with a signed attestation.

Execute

Submit the attestation to a Gateway Minter contract to mint USDC and trigger arbitrary actions via Hooks. An equal amount of USDC is burned by the Gateway system on the source chain.

Diagram showing the initial deposit to a Gateway Wallet

Diagram showing a signed burn intent via the Gateway API

Diagram showing the process for a burn event with Gateway

How it works

Optimizing user experience

1const { signature: permitSignature } = await
2account.signTypedData(
3  await constructEIP2612Permit({
4    token: usdc,
5    chain: currentChain,
6    ownerAddress: account.address,
7    spenderAddress: circleTokenPaymaster,
8    value: 1000000 // Allow $1 USDC maximum to be 
9spent on gas
10  })
11);
12

Real-time verification

Conduct immediate compliance checks against selected jurisdictional regulations and internal policies.

Automated data validation

Programmatically assess and validate data requirements with ease.

Robust wallet support

Identify between VASP-hosted and self-hosted wallets and take appropriate actions based on regulatory requirements.

Secure PII transfer

Safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII) during transmission between VASPs with encrypted storage and transmission.

Verify self-hosted wallets

Mitigate risk by verifying self-hosted wallets through ownership proof mechanisms.

Holistic monitoring

Periodically evaluate your transactions against specific typologies targeting high risk behavioural patterns, such as structuring, smurfing, or velocity.

Customizable framework

Tailor rules, thresholds, and cadences to fit your business’ risk appetite and compliance requirements.

Comprehensive data points

Leverage your historical transaction data or benefit from Circle’s expert-crafted typologies to identify sophisticated patterns.

Integrated case management

Streamline investigations with tools to prioritize, track and resolve alerts generated.

Resources

Documentation

Dive into our guides, quickstarts, and API references to start building now.

View docs

Tutorials

Learn how to instantly* access USDC crosschain from a unified balance.

Learn now

Community

Join our Discord community to discuss your integration.

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FAQs

Circle Gateway is a new primitive enabling a unified USDC balance, which can unlock crosschain liquidity in <500 ms on supported routes.

Consolidating native USDC balances across chains can help businesses reduce working capital and crosschain friction for end users.

‍

Circle offers complementary crosschain products, Gateway and CCTP, each purpose-built for distinct use cases and operational needs. To help teams choose the right solution, refer to the product comparison in our developer docs.

‍

Gateway has been designed for businesses and developers facing pain points from multichain liquidity fragmentation. Gateway can help:

Onramps and PSPs - serve more users across supported chains without idle capital
Exchanges - scale USDC withdrawals with no bridge infrastructure or delays
Custodians - offer seamless crosschain access to their clients
Wallets - simplify UX with a unified USDC balance
Solvers - unlock capital efficiency and maximize revenue

No, Gateway is permissionless. Developers can get started by visiting the developer docs.

Yes, each instant transfer includes a base fee that covers the gas cost incurred during the burn process on the source chain. For additional fee details, see our developer docs.

Accessing USDC instantly* requires both a user signature and a Gateway attestation. In the unlikely event that the Gateway API is unavailable for any reason, users can initiate a trustless withdrawal and complete the withdrawal after a 7-day period. For additional details, see our developer docs.

Gateway Fast Deposit lets developers fund Gateway balances up to 40x faster on certain chains with longer times to finality. Built into Unified Balance Kit, it combines CCTP Fast Transfer and Gateway in a single integration, reducing deposit latency and implementation complexity. Standard Gateway deposits remain available for workflows that don't require accelerated funding. Deposit times vary by chain and network conditions.

Fast Deposits is a software feature of the UBK SDK provided by Circle Technology Services, LLC ("CTS"). Non-custodial; funds move via CCTP and smart contracts. Not a financial, payment, or advisory service. Not reviewed or approved by NYDFS or any other regulatory authority. Fee estimates are previews only; actual fees may differ. Deposit times vary by chain and network conditions; deposits may be delayed or fail. Source-chain burns are irreversible. USDC only. Eligibility and geographic restrictions apply. Developers are responsible for their own compliance obligations. CTS may modify or discontinue this feature at any time. Developer Terms [LINK] apply.]

*Time and fee estimates are not guaranteed. Actual results may vary.