Citizens Trust Bank to Hold $65 Million in USDC Reserves as Circle Expands Bank Partnerships

On Friday, the cryptocurrency firm and stablecoin issuer Circle announced that the financial institution Citizens Trust Bank will hold $65 million in usd coin cash reserves. Circle said the move is part of the company’s plan to allocate shares of the stablecoin’s denominated reserves to minority-owned depository institutions (MDIs) and community banks across the United States.

The digital currency firm Circle has announced that Atlanta-based Citizens Trust Bank, founded in 1947, will hold $65 million in usd coin (USDC) reserves. This move follows a series of announcements where Circle allocated funds to various U.S.-based financial institutions over the past year. For example, Circle stated on April 1, 2022, that BNY Mellon would hold USDC reserves, and in June, the Boston-based company announced that New York Community Bancorp would hold USDC reserves.

Additionally, Circle announced last November that it is working with Blackrock to manage a portion of the USDC reserves in a fund registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). “The opportunity to maintain a portion of Circle’s growing USDC reserves means we are strengthening our balance sheet and becoming a key part of fast-growing new markets,” Cynthia N. Day, the president and chief executive officer of Citizens Trust Bank said in a statement. Circle also announced on Friday that it will collaborate with Citizens Trust Bank to enhance financial literacy initiatives.

The company stated that it is developing plans to expand programming into the community through Atlanta’s historic HBCUs and local schools, with a launch event slated for this summer and a $100K seed grant from Circle. As of Feb. 24, 2023, Circle’s stablecoin USDC has an overall valuation of $42.66 billion and is the second-largest U.S. dollar-pegged cryptocurrency asset in terms of market capitalization. According to metrics recorded on Friday, the number of USDC coins in circulation has decreased by 2.7% over the last 30 days.

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