Payments company Stripe is expanding its cryptocurrency services to the Aptos blockchain. Circle, known for its stablecoin USDC, also plans to deploy its main stablecoin onto the network, as shared by the Aptos Foundation to CoinDesk on Thursday.

Previously, USDC was accessible on Aptos only in a bridged form. Circle intends to enhance its offerings by integrating Aptos into its Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol (CCTP), which simplifies the process of transferring USDC across different blockchains. This development aims to enhance Aptos' compatibility with decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.

Stripe will offer crypto on-ramp services for Aptos, facilitating merchants' ability to transact between traditional payment systems and blockchain environments. Users will have the capability to convert local currencies into USDC through wallets compatible with Aptos-enabled crypto.

“By incorporating support for the Aptos blockchain into our crypto offerings, we are expanding both consumer and merchant access to more efficient global transactions utilizing stablecoins,” stated John Egan, head of crypto at Stripe. “This enables merchants to accept payments globally or allows platforms to compensate creators regardless of their location.”

Earlier this year, Stripe acquired the stablecoin payment platform Bridge for $1.1 billion, reinforcing its blockchain payment solutions.