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Quick Breakdown Circle acquires Interop Labs’ team and IP to accelerate cross-chain blockchain infrastructure. Integration enhances Arc blockchain capabilities and multichain developer tools. Axelar Network remains independent; Common Prefix continues Axelar contributions. Circle has announced an agreement to acquire the Interop Labs team and proprietary intellectual property, a key contributor to the Axelar Network. This strategic move is designed to strengthen Circle’s cross-chain blockchain infrastructure and accelerate interoperability across its Arc blockchain and Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP) products. The acquisition is expected to close in early 2026. We have entered into an agreement to bring the @interop_labs team – initial developers of @axelar, a leading interoperability stack – into Circle to accelerate the next chapter of multichain infrastructure with @Arc and CCTP, and we are excited to welcome new team members to the… pic.twitter.com/dDmW5ZIACa — Circle (@circle) December 15, 2025 Boosting cross-chain capabilities Interop Labs has been instrumental in developing Axelar, a secure framework for cross-chain messaging and token transfers. By integrating the Interop Labs team and technology, Circle plans to enhance Arc’s multichain capabilities, expand developer software development kits (SDKs), and accelerate first-party app development. The Axelar Network, Foundation, and the AXL token will remain independent under community governance, with open-source intellectual property staying open source. Common Prefix will assume responsibility for Interop Labs’ ongoing contributions to Axelar. Circle’s Chief Product and Technology Officer, Nikhil Chandhok, emphasized that the acquisition will “accelerate the Arc and CCTP roadmaps toward building the hub for multichain internet finance.” Sergey Gorbunov, CEO and co-founder of Interop Labs, added, “We are proud of what we’ve built with Axelar and excited to see our team and technology become a core part of Circle’s interoperability strategy.” Advancing blockchain interoperability The acquisition is a major step toward Circle’s vision of seamless, compliant digital asset movement across more than 100 blockchain ecosystems. By combining Interop Labs’ expertise with Circle’s existing infrastructure, the company aims to make blockchain connectivity more efficient for developers and users alike. This integration will enhance multichain application development, simplify cross-network asset transfers, and strengthen Circle’s position as a leading provider of blockchain infrastructure solutions. Strategically, Circle is focused on institutional expansion through the Arc Layer-1 testnet and the growth of the Circle Payments Network, reinforcing USDC as a regulated, liquid, asset-backed foundational component of the financial system. Circle plans to fully integrate the Arc network across its existing platforms and services, ensuring interoperability with other blockchains that Circle supports. If you would like to read more articles like this, visit DeFi Planet and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and CoinMarketCap Community. Take control of your crypto portfolio with MARKETS PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.”

AXL, the native cryptocurrency of the Axelar Network, has come under strong selling pressure, dropping 18% in the last 24 hours. This comes after the Circle Internet Group announced the acquisition of Interop Labs, the developer team behind Axelar Network, while abandoning the AXL token. Circle Excluded Axelar Network and AXL Token from Recent Deal The AXL price has been on a free fall, as the Axelar Network’s native token faces strong selling pressure, after stablecoin issuer Circle announced an agreement to acquire the team and proprietary intellectual property of Interop Labs. --> However, the official announcement from Circle noted: “The Axelar Network, Foundation and AXL token are not part of this acquisition and will continue to operate independently under community governance, with Common Prefix leading network development.” As part of the acquisition, engineers and proprietary intellectual property from Interop Labs will move to Circle. Analysts noted that the transaction highlights a growing trend in which buyers prioritize engineering teams, intellectual property, and enterprise-grade infrastructure rather than the native tokens of open networks. In this case, Circle gains interoperability expertise to support its broader stablecoin and payments strategy. On the other hand, AXL holders remain economically disconnected from the acquisition. The AXL token is not set to receive buybacks, revenue sharing, or governance rights tied to the acquired assets. It has further raised questions whether the protocol-level success necessarily translates into token price appreciation. Common Prefix Becomes the Next Big Contributor Common Prefix, another long-standing contributor, is expected to take on an expanded role in maintaining and developing the Axelar ecosystem. The platform stated that it would announce more details on its future plans during Q1 2026. In addition to working for Axelar, Common Prefix has played a significant role in the development of several prominent blockchain protocols, including Ripple’s XRP Ledger, Sui, Flashbots, Babylon, and Build on Bitcoin. Common Prefix noted that they would focus on the institutional adoption of the Axelar Network. “We will make sure that supported connections bring value to the ecosystem, and the right incentives for validators. For institutional, we need increased economic security. We’ll enable co-staking of blue chip tokens beyond just AXL. Privacy, compliance, and robustness will also be a theme for the year,” they added. next Bhushan is a FinTech enthusiast and holds a good flair in understanding financial markets. His interest in economics and finance draw his attention towards the new emerging Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency markets. He is continuously in a learning process and keeps himself motivated by sharing his acquired knowledge. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and sometimes explore his culinary skills. Bhushan Akolkar on X Share:

Moonrock Founder Evaluates Circle's Acquisition of Axelar Team: Excludes Foundation and AXL Token as Equating to "Veiled RUG"

BREAKING: Circle is acquiring the Interop Labs team & proprietary IP (core contributors to Axelar Network) 🔹 Deal expected to close early 2026 🔹 Team + private IP only 🔹 Axelar Network itself is NOT being acquired What happens to Axelar: 🔹 Network, Foundation & $AXL remain independent + community-governed 🔹 Open-source code stays open 🔹 Common Prefix takes over Interop Labs’ dev role Why this matters: 🔹 Boosts Circle’s cross-chain stack for Arc (L1) + CCTP 🔹 Goal: seamless asset flow across 100+ blockchains 🔹 Axelar’s messaging & token transfer tech goes deeper into Circle infra Sergey Gorbunov: proud of Axelar, excited to join Circle Circle CPO: accelerates multichain finance roadmap Circle strengthens interoperability while Axelar stays decentralized.

AXL/USDT ANALYSIS $AXL is rebounding from the support trendline of the descending channel, while the 21MA is acting as a resistance barrier above the current price action. A decisive breakout above both the 21MA and the channel will provide a bullish confirmation.