Circle Internet Corp. (CRCL) saw its shares plummet 5.07% during Monday's intraday trading session, as the broader stablecoin and cryptocurrency sector faced intense selling pressure. The decline reflects heightened investor concerns over regulatory risks.

The sell-off was triggered by the People's Bank of China (PBOC) reiterating its strict stance against stablecoins over the weekend. The central bank warned of speculative risks and pledged to crack down on illegal activities involving stablecoins, citing their failure to meet anti-money laundering (AML) and customer identification requirements. Thirteen Chinese regulatory authorities, including the PBOC, jointly classified stablecoins as virtual currencies subject to stringent oversight.

The regulatory scrutiny sparked a sector-wide downturn, with Bitcoin dropping below $86,000 and other crypto-linked stocks also declining sharply. Circle Internet Corp., as a key player in the stablecoin space (e.g., USDC), remains particularly vulnerable to such regulatory headwinds.