/
Developers
/
Developer Grants
Circle Developers

Developer Grants

Grants for developers leveraging USDC to create practical solutions.

Benefits for competitive edge

Grant recipients have the opportunity to directly interface with Circle in order to gain strategic insights, align vision and benefit from access to product support.

  • Funding ranging up to $100,000 in USDC
  • Operational and co-marketing support
  • Potential referral to Circle Ventures
  • Access to direct technical support
  • Access to Circle product experts across compliance and security

What we look for

Driven teams

We value small, agile teams with full-time founders and a development team of less than 10 people, ideally.

Stage of development

Projects should be at the MVP, beta, or post-launch stage. Early research projects are also welcome to apply but priority would be given to projects with early signs of problem-solution validation.

Clear milestones

Project founders are able to draft clear and realistic project milestones that are synergistic for both the project and Circle.

Excellent UI/UX

Blockchain adoption is hindered by poorly designed UI/UX flows. Does your project have a clear and comprehensive user journey?

Application process

    Our 2025 grant applications are closed as we work to reimagine the program for the next wave of builders in the Circle ecosystem. Next year, you can expect that we’ll place greater emphasis on Arc-specific grants and evaluate projects by their alignment with Circle products, team strength, innovation, and impact on the USDC network. Stay tuned for updates in early 2026!

    In the meantime, join our community at circle.com/discord to connect with our team and fellow developers building on Circle. We're excited to continue supporting your journey.

    *Submitting an application does not guarantee receipt of funding.

    FAQs

    The Developer Grant is Circle’s grant initiative designed to catalyze innovation and growth of projects building USDC features and functionality. By providing targeted funding, the aim is to support the development of real-world applications and solutions by early-stage startups, visionary developers, entrepreneurs, and builders.

    Founders, developers and visionary entrepreneurs who are integrating USDC payments into their apps, protocols, or research projects are welcome to apply. We look for projects at various stages of development, from early concept, to scaling solutions.

    • Funding ranging up to $100,000 in USDC
    • Operational and co-marketing support
    • Potential referral to Circle Ventures
    • Access to direct product support
    • Access to consultation with Circle’s compliance product experts

    The Developer Grant directly supports projects that increase the utility, adoption capabilities and distribution of USDC. We are interested in accelerating projects that have identified a clear solution to a problem.

    Grant amounts are tailored to match the specific needs and potential impact of each project. Amounts can range from an initial $5,000 (in USDC) to jumpstart early-stage development up to $100,000 (in USDC) to scale promising applications.

    Here are some of the key questions focused on throughout the application review process:

    1. Is the project leveraging USDC to unlock a real use case?
    2. Does the project have simple and accessible UI/UX implemented?
    3. Does the project have a skilled and motivated team?
    4. Does the project integrate other Circle products like CCTP, Programmable Wallets or Gas Station to unlock new features?
    5. Does the project solve an actual problem?

    Referrals don't guarantee investment, our team selects prospects based on various factors and will get in touch if there's interest.

    Learn more about Circle Ventures here.

    Please join our Discord and ask any questions in the #developer-grant channel. Even if you don’t have questions, come tell us about your project!