Circle has launched native USDC and the Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol on OKX's X Layer, replacing a previously bridged version of the stablecoin with Circle-issued tokens on the Ethereum-compatible layer-2 network. The integration gives developers and businesses linked to OKX's 120 million-user ecosystem access to USDC for payments, decentralized finance, trading and automated applications, while qualified firms can mint and redeem the token through Circle Mint. CCTP uses a burn-and-mint model to move USDC between blockchains instead of locking funds in traditional bridges and issuing wrapped assets, and Circle said the X Layer launch expands the protocol to 26 chains while native USDC now spans 36 networks. The bridged asset will keep trading as "USDC_Bridged" during a gradual migration, with the existing bridge left in place. Circle said the native token on X Layer is fully backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves and issued in compliance with the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation. The rollout also feeds into X Layer's push into lower-cost settlement, tokenized real-world assets and x402 payments between AI agents, APIs and digital services. It comes as Circle broadens its regulated stablecoin footprint through new U.S. trust approvals, plans for its Arc blockchain, and growing USDC activity, with circulation reaching $73.3 billion in the second quarter and on-chain transfer volume rising 151% year over year to $14.8 trillion.