The Accounts API is designed for multi-chain and multi-currency support.

Introduction to Chains and Currencies

If you are not familiar with blockchain concepts, a blockchain (or "chain" for short), is a distributed ledger of actions. Computers across the Internet use a blockchain to synchronize (agree on) a shared payment history for everyone on the network. You can think of it as a distributed database in which everyone who wants to transact records their actions according to certain rules that ensure nobody is cheating. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Algorand are examples of chains.

A chain typically hosts one or more cryptocurrencies (or "currencies" for short) which have value. Currencies are also often referred to as tokens. Most chains host a native currency, and may sometimes have additional currencies (or tokens) hosted on the same chain. For example, the Bitcoin chain hosts the native Bitcoin (BTC) currency, but also secondary tokens like Omni (OMNI). The Ethereum chain hosts the native Ethereum (ETH) currency, but also a wide variety of currencies and tokens, including USDC and EUROC. Many of them follow a technical standard called ERC-20. Similarly, the Algorand chain hosts the native Algo (ALGO) currency, but also a variety of assets following the Algorand Standard Assets framework, including USDC and EUROC.

Occasionally a single currency can be available on multiple chains.

Supported Chains and Currencies

The table below lists the chains and currencies currently supported by the Accounts API.

Native USDC

Bridged USDC

Native EUROC

Additional Supported Assets

Using Chains and Currencies on the Wallets API

Any time you refer to a currency in the context of an Accounts API operation, you will utilize a currency and a chain pair. As an example, to create a USDC transfer on the Ethereum blockchain, you will specify the USD currency on the ETH chain. Similarly, to create a USDC transfer on the Algorand blockchain, you will specify the USD currency on the ALGO chain.

When referring to balances, you only need to refer to the currency (USD, BTC, ETH), because the value of the currency for a Circle-hosted value is independent of the chain - and may sometimes be available on, and transferred across multiple chains.