ClearBank has announced a strategic framework agreement with Circle, the digital financial technology firm behind the USDC and EURC stablecoins, with the UK-based clearing bank set to join the Circle Payments Network (CPN). The collaboration positions ClearBank as a key European infrastructure provider, enabling its financial institution and fintech clients to access MiCA-compliant stablecoins for payments, treasury, and liquidity use cases.
Mark Fairless, Chief Executive Officer at ClearBank, stated the move marks a “significant milestone” in the bank’s evolution as a cross-border payments innovator. By integrating its cloud-native banking platform with Circle’s settlement network, the bank is helping to bridge traditional and digital finance for faster, lower-cost cross-border transactions.
The partnership will initially focus on expanding access to USDC and EURC through Circle Mint in Europe. ClearBank will become one of the first European banks to join the CPN, enabling clients to move value globally with high speed and the transparency of blockchain technology.
While the cost benefits of the new functionality are acknowledged, ClearBank’s Head of Digital Assets, Sean Forward, confirmed the bank’s priority is on speed and control of transactions. He explained that as a tech-first bank, the biggest advantage is delivering innovation, real-time speed, and constant availability of services more widely, which he sees as redefining what it means to be a modern bank.
Redefining Cross-Border Payments
The integration directly addresses the inefficiencies of legacy correspondent banking networks, which are known to introduce delays and fragmented systems. By adopting stablecoin settlement rails, ClearBank aims to enhance efficiency and transparency.
Forward sees the new stablecoin functionality appealing to clients drawn to the convenience, speed, and availability of these payments. The bank anticipates this will eventually begin to replace traditional payment methods and become the primary form of sending cross-border payments and foreign currencies.
The collaboration will also see both companies exploring strategic use cases beyond payments, including stablecoin-based treasury solutions and future tokenised asset settlement integrations, laying the groundwork for the next generation of financial services.
Compliance and Adoption Strategy
For merchants and customers, the adoption process is designed to be familiar yet enhanced by blockchain technology. Sanja Kon, VP of Partnerships & Business Development, EMEA at Circle, noted the collaboration will expand access to USDC and EURC, enabling faster settlement, greater transparency, and new financial services built on open, programmable money.
ClearBank is ensuring a seamless user experience, despite the underlying technological shift. Forward explained the execution experience for clients using the service will be very similar to existing methods. Although clients must still follow the same compliance and onboarding criteria, he noted the use of blockchain will provide additional traceability and deeper insight. The bank stated it prides itself on its best-in-class compliance and regulatory expertise.
This move is particularly timely as the stablecoins are designed to comply with the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). This regulatory clarity positions the partnership to successfully bridge traditional finance with digital assets, demonstrating how blockchain technology can enhance the established banking model within a regulated framework.
The partnership provides a practical alternative to developing proprietary digital currency infrastructure, allowing ClearBank to adopt blockchain operations while maintaining regulatory integrity. Forward’s emphasis on speed and control highlights a broader industry shift where agility in moving value is becoming the paramount feature that drives fintech innovation, even over absolute fee reduction. ClearBank is clearly betting that the sheer efficiency of stablecoin-based settlement will make it the preferred option over conventional methods in the long term.
