Circle Launches Tools for Web3 Developers, Smart Contracts

FinTech Circle has announced the beta launch of two Web3 Services products, Gas Station and Smart Contract Platform, aimed at simplifying blockchain experiences for developers and businesses.

These offerings let developers to deliver streamlined, interactive, and cost-efficient on-chain experiences for their customers, the company reported in a press release Thursday (Oct. 19).

Gas Station addresses gas fees, which users pay as a blockchain network fee when making transactions. Gas fees can pose a challenge for developers and businesses looking to integrate blockchain benefits into their apps. With Gas Station, developers and businesses that integrate their apps with Circle’s Programmable Wallets can deliver a gasless experience to customers. End users can make blockchain transactions without having to pay gas fees.

The Gas Station functionality currently supports Polygon on both mainnet and testnet, as well as Ethereum on testnet, with support for more chains to be added soon.

One example of Gas Station’s practical application is its collaboration with Grab, a super app in Southeast Asia. Grab is piloting the Programmable Wallets infrastructure and Gas Station to provide its Singaporean users with a gas-free experience when they use non-fungible token (NFT) vouchers from Grab’s Web3 Wallet to earn rewards and collectibles.

Smart Contract Platform, aims to simplify the process of building blockchain-powered automation. Web3 developers need different tools to create, deploy, and interact across different chains. Smart Contract Platform removes these barriers by providing a user-friendly interface, comprehensive smart contract management capabilities, and easy integration through simple APIs.

The platform is available on Avalanche, Ethereum, and Polygon, with support for more blockchains coming soon.

“Circle is greatly simplifying the overall Web3 wallet experience for developers and businesses to help them deliver great customer experiences,” said Gagan Mac, head of product for Web3 Services at Circle. ”With the launch of Gas Station, we are abstracting away blockchain transaction fees for end users and Smart Contract Platform makes it easier for businesses to leverage the benefits of blockchain networks. We’re reducing friction and making blockchain transactions more accessible to everyone.”