Circle Reverses USDC Weapons Ban, Permits Lawful Firearm Purchases

Overview

• Circle told the National Shooting Sports Foundation it has not and will not deny USDC use for legally permissible firearms transactions.
• Updated terms replace a blanket ban on “weapons of any kind” with a prohibition only on purchases “in contravention of applicable laws.”
• The change followed pressure from Americans for Tax Reform and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which criticized the prior policy as discriminatory.
• Senators Bill Hagerty and Cynthia Lummis praised the revision as consistent with Second Amendment protections; both backed the GENIUS Act stablecoin law enacted in July.
• Critics say the episode shows centralized stablecoins are vulnerable to political influence and possible censorship, while questions persist about when the original ban began or how it was enforced.