World Network has upgraded its blockchain with native USDC support and Circle’s cross-chain transfer protocol.
The update, announced by World Network on June 11, brings an end to bridged USD Coin (USDC) on World Chain, replacing it with fully-backed, native tokens issued directly by Circle. Native USDC will give its 27 million users a faster, more reliable way to move money.
Until now, users held bridged versions of USDC, which are wrapped assets representing USDC from another chain. Native USDC, in contrast, is directly minted and redeemed by Circle, backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves. This upgrade improves transparency, trust, and liquidity.
In addition to native USDC, the introduction of CCTP V2 facilitates cross-chain transfers, enabling developers and users to transfer USDC between blockchains more rapidly and cheaply. It also supports better composability, or the ability for applications to interact seamlessly across decentralized finance platforms.
A number of new features are made possible by this integration, including Circle Mint access for qualified companies, improved developer tools for creating USDC Mini Apps, and quicker peer-to-peer transfers. All previously bridged USDC on World Chain has already been automatically upgraded to native.
World Network, which positions itself as a global digital identity and finance platform, has seen growing use of USDC for remittances and payments through Mini Apps in its World App. The latest update enhances this functionality while opening the door for developers to build more financial tools directly into the platform.
This comes just weeks after World raised $135 million from investors like a16z and Bain Capital Crypto in a public Worldcoin (WLD) token sale. Other recent milestones include the launch of the Orb Mini device in the U.S., a partnership with Visa, and entry into Taiwan, Argentina, and Thailand on May 31.
Despite facing regulatory challenges in countries like Indonesia, Kenya, and Brazil, World continues to grow, with plans to add support for Circle’s euro-pegged EURC in the near future.