Circle is rapidly developing, obtaining a new round of financing and entering the Asian market

Recently, the cryptocurrency company Circle completed a Series E funding round of $110 million, bringing the company's valuation to nearly $3 billion. This round of financing was led by a well-known mining machine manufacturer, with participation from several prominent investment institutions. Circle plans to issue a USD-pegged stablecoin, USD-C, through the CENTRE project.

Circle's CMO Marieke Flament stated in an interview that the company is actively expanding into the Asian market. She believes that Asia is a vibrant market with a fast pace of blockchain project development and a higher level of public understanding of blockchain technology.

When discussing the relationship with traditional payment tools, Flament expressed a desire to establish partnerships with them rather than a competitive relationship. Circle Pay is working to integrate with social media platforms to attract more users.

For the Chinese market, although the regulatory environment is currently quite strict, Flament believes that the Chinese government has an open attitude towards blockchain technology. Collaboration with Chinese investors has also been relatively smooth, which helps Circle's future development in China.

Circle has positioned Hong Kong as its operational base for business in Asia and launched Circle Trade, a large-scale digital currency trading service aimed at institutional investors. Flament stated that the decision to choose Circle Trade as the first product for the Asian market is based on the consideration of the growing demand for digital currency liquidity, while also avoiding direct competition with major exchanges and payment institutions.

In terms of regulation, Circle has always been at the forefront of the industry. The company has obtained relevant licenses in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Flament emphasized that the path to sustainable development in the blockchain field lies in complying with regulations. Circle has an internal legal compliance team that actively conducts anti-fraud and KYC efforts to ensure business compliance and legality.

Flament believes that the biggest issue between blockchain projects and regulatory agencies is a lack of mutual understanding, making education and dialogue crucial. She mentioned that the UK's fintech regulatory sandbox is a great attempt. Circle is also actively involved in the blockchain consulting work of international organizations.

Flament has a welcoming attitude towards traditional financial institutions entering the cryptocurrency space, believing that it benefits industry development. When discussing Circle's decision to acquire a cryptocurrency exchange, she stated that cultural fit, strategic alignment, and talent support are the most important considerations.