CRCL Skyrockets 20% After Ark Invest Dumps $110M Stake—What’s Next for Circle International?

Ark Invest just lit a fire under Circle International (CRCL)—by selling out. The crypto-adjacent stock surged 20% after Cathie Wood’s fund offloaded a $110 million position. Was it profit-taking or panic? Markets aren’t waiting to find out.

### The Ark Effect: Pump Then Dump?

When a whale like Ark moves, waves happen. This sell-off triggered a classic ‘bad news is good news’ rally—CRCL holders clearly think the worst is priced in. Or they’re just desperate for any liquidity event in this market.

### Circle’s Tightrope: Between TradFi and Crypto

With USDC’s parent caught between regulatory hell and DeFi’s promise, every institutional move gets magnified. $110 million might be pocket change for Ark, but for CRCL? It’s a headline that moves needles.

### The Cynic’s Take

Let’s be real—if Ark sold during a 20% pop, maybe they know something retail doesn’t. Or maybe they just needed to cover losses on another moonshot bet. Welcome to modern finance, where the exit liquidity is always *you*.

TLDR

• Circle (CRCL) stock surged 20% to $300 on Monday, reaching 900% gains since its Wall Street debut three weeks ago
• Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest sold 415,000 CRCL shares worth $110 million across three funds despite the rally
• VanEck has become Circle’s largest institutional holder, with holdings now exceeding CEO Jeremy Allaire’s stake
• Circle’s market cap hit $54 billion, overtaking its USDC stablecoin in valuation
• Ark Invest continues profit-taking while buying Coinbase and Robinhood shares, maintaining 3.8 million CRCL shares

Circle stock defied expectations on Monday with a 20% surge to $300, even as Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest unloaded over $110 million worth of shares. The USDC stablecoin issuer has become Wall Street’s latest sensation since its debut three weeks ago.

The stock closed Monday at $260.54, marking a 9.62% gain for the day. Circle’s market capitalization now stands at $54 billion, surpassing the value of its own USDC stablecoin.

Circle’s performance has been nothing short of remarkable since going public. The stock has climbed 900% from its initial public offering price, creating massive wealth for early investors.

VanEck has emerged as Circle’s largest institutional shareholder. The asset management firm now holds a 13% position in its MVDAPP index, making Circle the top holding.

VanEck CEO Matthew Sigel revealed their total Circle holdings exceed those of CEO Jeremy Allaire himself. This institutional backing has provided strong support for the stock’s meteoric rise.

Ark Invest Takes Profits Despite Bullish Outlook

Cathie Wood’s investment firm sold 415,855 shares across three exchange-traded funds on Monday. The sales were spread between ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW), and Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF).

Cathie Wood sold 415,000 shares of Circle $CRCL, worth approximately $109.5 million 🚨 Her funds have now sold a total of $353 million worth since acquiring them at the IPO. Massive win here for Cathie pic.twitter.com/TjkUaqG83N

— Barchart (@Barchart) June 24, 2025

This marks the second major selloff by Ark Invest within a week. Last week, the firm offloaded 609,175 shares in separate transactions.

Despite the recent sales, Ark Invest maintains a substantial position of 3.8 million Circle shares. The firm initially invested $376 million in Circle stock when it was trading below $100.

Ark’s original investment has already tripled in value. The firm appears to be following a disciplined profit-taking strategy while maintaining its Core position.

Wood’s team simultaneously purchased 4,198 shares of Coinbase worth $1.3 million. They also bought 319,640 shares of Robinhood valued at $24.4 million.

Institutional Interest Drives Market Cap Growth

Circle’s blockbuster IPO has attracted mainstream institutional investors. Bitwise Invest CEO Hunter Horsley called the offering a game-changer for crypto adoption.

The success has inspired other major crypto exchanges to consider public listings. Gemini and OKX are reportedly preparing for potential Wall Street debuts this year.

Circle’s current market cap of $54 billion puts it in rare company among crypto-related public companies. The valuation has closed the gap with established players like Coinbase.

The Iran-Israel peace deal provided additional market support on Monday. Wall Street gained 1% on the diplomatic breakthrough, lifting crypto stocks along with broader markets.

Circle stock jumped 7.5 times from its IPO price of $31 in just three weeks. The rapid appreciation has made it one of the year’s best-performing new listings.

The company’s transition from private to public markets has exceeded most analyst expectations. Trading volumes remain heavy as institutional investors continue accumulating shares.

Circle’s stock performance has demonstrated the appetite for crypto-related investments among traditional investors. The company operates the second-largest stablecoin by market capitalization.

Ark Invest’s recent transactions valued Circle shares at $263.45 based on Monday’s closing price. The investment firm continues to balance profit-taking with maintaining exposure to the crypto sector.