Arc Integrates with MetaMask for USDC Fee Payments

Circle ($CRCL) developed Layer 1 blockchain Arc has added MetaMask support, enabling users to pay transaction fees using USDC instead of purchasing separate native gas tokens. Crypto Briefing reported on September 15 that MetaMask has been designated as Arc's default wallet.

MetaMask will support Arc through browser extensions and mobile apps, providing USDC display and bridge/swap functionality. Circle introduced MetaMask as an infrastructure supporting USDC access and asset movement on Arc, alongside other wallets like Binance Wallet, Fireblocks, Kraken, and Ledger—though the term "default wallet" was not used in official announcements.

Arc's core design allows network fees to be paid using USDC rather than a volatile native token. Users can use their existing USDC holdings for transaction fees without acquiring additional gas tokens. Gas tokens are the standard assets used to pay transaction fees on blockchains, with Ethereum relying on ETH for this purpose.

Arc's official website states that fees are displayed in dollar terms for cost predictability and transactions reach finality within one second. The testnet average transaction cost for the week of September 3-9, 2026 was $0.045 (approximately 61 KRW), differing from a previously reported $0.004 (about 5 KRW) due to different reporting periods and calculation methods.

Circle announced Arc's public mainnet launch date as September 16, 2026, noting it had already entered a private mainnet phase with over 100 ecosystem builders. Circle stated that decentralized finance services like Aave (AAVE), Morpho, and Uniswap (UNI) would operate on Arc, alongside financial institution-focused applications.

The MetaMask integration aims to reduce the need for users to install new wallets or prepare separate gas assets. Arc's developer documentation suggests using MetaMask as a browser wallet example, with instructions for bridging USDC between Ethereum Sepolia and Arc testnet. Bridging allows assets held on one blockchain to be used on another network.

Arc highlights financial markets, real-time fund transfers, and institutional applications as key use cases. Circle's official announcement also included plans for partnerships with institutions like BlackRock, DTCC, and Standard Chartered.