Circle to acquire Interop Labs team and IP as Axelar remains independent

The agreement adds a key interoperability engineering team to Circle, strengthening its crosschain infrastructure and support for multichain applications.

Stablecoin issuer Circle has signed an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team and its proprietary technology, bringing a core contributor to the Axelar Network into its infrastructure business.

The deal, expected to close in early 2026, covers Interop Labs’ personnel and proprietary intellectual property, while the Axelar Network, its foundation and the AXL token will remain independent and governed by the community.

Interop Labs is the initial developer of the Axelar Network, a decentralized interoperability network that supports crosschain messaging and asset transfers between blockchains. Circle said the team’s technology will be integrated into Circle’s Arc blockchain and Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP).

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