# Arc Blockchain Wallet for USDC & Stablecoins - iOS, Android & APK
> Gem Wallet is a self-custodial Arc blockchain wallet for iOS, Android, and APK. Send, receive, swap, and buy USDC on Circle's stablecoin-native Layer 1, where every fee is settled in USDC - no accounts, no tracking.

## What Is the Arc Blockchain?

Arc is a Layer 1 blockchain built by Circle, the company behind USDC, and designed from the ground up for stablecoin settlement rather than speculative trading. The network runs Malachite, a high-performance implementation of Tendermint BFT consensus, and reaches deterministic finality in under a second - a confirmed transfer cannot be reorganized or reversed. Execution is handled by Reth, so Arc is fully EVM-compatible and works with standard 0x addresses and Ethereum tooling. Circle's own infrastructure - USDC, the CCTP cross-chain protocol, Gateway, and institutional on- and off-ramps - is integrated at the protocol level. Arc has run as a public testnet since 2025, and the [Arc mainnet](https://www.arc.io/) is scheduled to launch on September 16, 2026.

## No Gas Token Needed: USDC Pays for Itself on Arc

On most networks, holding a stablecoin is not enough to move it. To send [USDT TRC20](/trc20-wallet/) you need TRX in the same wallet to cover the fee, and to send [USDC on Ethereum](/usdc-wallet/) or any other [ERC20 token](/erc20-wallet/) you need ETH - a transfer fails if the gas balance is empty, even when the stablecoin balance is full. Arc removes that second asset entirely. USDC is the native gas token, every fee is denominated in USDC, and the network smooths gas prices over time so the cost of a transfer stays around one cent instead of following a volatile coin. Arc has no separate native token to buy, hold, or run out of: the USDC in your wallet is both the money you send and the fee you pay to send it.

## What Is an Arc Wallet and Why Do You Need One?

An Arc wallet is an app that creates and manages your address on the Arc blockchain so you can hold, send, and receive USDC and other stablecoins on Arc rails. Because Arc is EVM-compatible, the address is a standard Ethereum-style 0x address, but the wallet has to connect to the Arc network, keep a separate USDC balance on the Arc ledger, and pay fees in USDC rather than in a gas coin - a generic [stablecoin wallet](/stablecoin-wallet/) without Arc support will not see the funds. Gem Wallet is a self-custodial Arc blockchain wallet: the private keys are generated and encrypted on your device, the same recovery phrase covers Arc and every other supported network, and your digital dollars stay under your control instead of on an exchange.

## Arc Network at a Glance

| Parameter | Arc |
| --- | --- |
| Type | Stablecoin-native Layer 1 blockchain |
| Built by | Circle, the issuer of USDC |
| Mainnet launch | September 16, 2026 |
| Consensus | Malachite (Tendermint BFT) |
| Finality | Under one second, deterministic, no reorganizations |
| Throughput | 3,000+ transactions per second |
| Gas | Paid in USDC, no native token |
| Target transaction fee | About $0.01 |
| EVM compatibility | Yes, standard 0x addresses and Ethereum tooling |

Source: [arc.io](https://www.arc.io/), as of September 2026.

**Download Gem Wallet and use the Arc blockchain the way Circle built it - USDC transfers that settle in under a second, with the fee paid in the same USDC and the keys held only by you.**