Chainlink expands to Arc mainnet and MOVA Chain as institutional blockchain adoption accelerates

Chainlink has extended its core services to two new networks: Arc, Circle’s institutional layer-1 blockchain, and MOVA Chain, a DeFi-focused network that adopted Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol in July 2026.

The timing matters. Arc’s mainnet launched on September 16, 2026, with Chainlink’s infrastructure already running underneath it before the first block was finalized.

What Chainlink actually deployed, and where

Chainlink rolled out its services on Arc in stages. Data Feeds went live on Arc mainnet on September 9, giving the network reliable price oracle coverage before its official launch. Data Streams followed on September 15, adding low-latency market data suited for more complex financial applications. CCIP, Chainlink’s cross-chain messaging layer, activated on Arc’s mainnet the same day the network itself launched, September 16.

Arc is not a typical public blockchain. Circle built it as a permissioned layer-1 designed for institutional use, and the validator network includes BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, DTCC, and ICE. Gas fees on Arc are paid in USDC rather than a native volatile token.

MOVA Chain’s adoption of CCIP, which went live in July 2026, addresses a different set of needs. MOVA is focused on stablecoins and DeFi applications, and CCIP gives it secure cross-chain messaging to connect with the broader ecosystem. With CCIP now live on over 50 chains, MOVA gains immediate access to that network rather than building cross-chain bridges from scratch.

Why Circle built Arc this way

DTCC, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation, processes the majority of US securities settlements. ICE operates the New York Stock Exchange. Paying gas fees in USDC means corporate participants never need to hold or manage a volatile native asset to use the network.

The broader Chainlink expansion picture

Earlier in the year, Chainlink expanded CCIP to MegaETH and World Chain, with CRE, the Chainlink Runtime Environment, going live on World Chain as part of that February update. Arc itself had Chainlink live on its testnet before the mainnet launch, giving developers time to build and test before real assets were at stake.

The CCIP network now spans over 50 chains. Each new chain that joins increases the number of possible cross-chain connections, and projects building on any one of those chains inherit access to the full network.