CRCL vs. VRSN: Circle Internet vs. VeriSign Stock Comparison
How do Circle Internet (CRCL) and VeriSign (VRSN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Circle Internet (CRCL) and VeriSign (VRSN) both fall under the Software & Services industry group, but CRCL is classified in Software while VRSN is classified in IT Services.
VeriSign (VRSN) carries decades of public-market history since January 30, 1998, while Circle Internet (CRCL) listed on June 5, 2025 — long-window comparisons have far more historical data on the VRSN side.
| Profile Item | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Circle Internet Group, Inc. Class A | VeriSign, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Information Technology | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry Group | Software & Services | Software & Services |
| GICS Industry | Software | IT Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Application Software | Internet Services & Infrastructure |
| Market Capitalization | 17.41 billion USD | 27.69 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 5, 2025 | January 30, 1998 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -33.88% | 28.37% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -- | 15.25% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -- | 5.98% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Circle Internet (CRCL) is heavily traded at around 12.74M shares per day, whereas VeriSign (VRSN) sees a more moderate 869.64K — larger orders in the latter may require more patience and tighter control over order sizing.
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 96.01% | 28.25% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.84 | 0.67 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -80.93% | -38.85% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 12.74M | 869.64K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.40 | 0.85 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.61 | 1.24 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Circle Internet (CRCL) earns 13.44% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; VeriSign (VRSN) has no ROE this period.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
13.44%
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- CRCL
- 13.44%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 53.85%
- Q3
- 17.90%
- Median
- 6.59%
- Q1
- -9.59%
- Min
- -50.52%
- VRSN
- --
Net Margin (TTM)
VeriSign (VRSN) at 49.07% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Circle Internet (CRCL) at 15.28% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
15.28%
- Max
- 41.17%
- CRCL
- 15.28%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
49.07%
- VRSN
- 49.07%
- Max
- 41.17%
- Q3
- 15.28%
- Median
- 4.63%
- Q1
- -5.42%
- Min
- -33.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)
VeriSign (VRSN) at 68.62% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Circle Internet (CRCL) at 24.09% also operates in the top quartile.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
24.09%
- Max
- 46.89%
- CRCL
- 24.09%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
68.62%
- VRSN
- 68.62%
- Max
- 46.89%
- Q3
- 17.64%
- Median
- 8.73%
- Q1
- -2.13%
- Min
- -30.45%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 13.44% | -- |
| ROA (TTM) | 0.28% | 54.90% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 15.28% | 49.07% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 24.09% | 68.62% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 26.58% | 88.57% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 63.86% delivers above-range revenue growth, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 6.37% falls into the bottom quartile — a wide split in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
VeriSign (VRSN) at 10.13% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Circle Internet (CRCL) at -640.54% falls below its industry range, a notably weak earnings reading.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 63.86% | 6.37% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 52.66% | 5.15% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -640.54% | 10.13% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | 12.18% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 1.04 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 0.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VRSN.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
1.04
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- CRCL
- 1.04
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.03
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
0.42
- Max
- 5.11
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.67
- Q1
- 1.01
- VRSN
- 0.42
- Min
- 0.03
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Circle Internet (CRCL) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.00 against its industry range, while VeriSign (VRSN) reports no figure this period.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- CRCL
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
--
- Max
- 2.52
- Q3
- 1.13
- Median
- 0.40
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.00
- VRSN
- --
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.04 | 0.42 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.00 | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -4.68 | 1.09 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Circle Internet (CRCL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile VeriSign (VRSN) reports a yield of 1.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- CRCL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
1.03%
- VRSN
- 1.03%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Circle Internet (CRCL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile VeriSign (VRSN) reports a payout of 34.45%, ranking against industry peers normally.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
0.00%
- CRCL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
34.45%
- VRSN
- 34.45%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.03% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 34.45% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Circle Internet (CRCL) at 40.89 and VeriSign (VRSN) at 33.23 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
40.89
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- CRCL
- 40.89
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
33.23
- Max
- 112.94
- Q3
- 60.32
- VRSN
- 33.23
- Median
- 32.91
- Q1
- 18.77
- Min
- 6.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Circle Internet (CRCL) at 5.75 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while VeriSign (VRSN) at 15.99 sits in the pricier quartile — VRSN costs more per dollar of sales.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
5.75
- Max
- 17.91
- Q3
- 8.78
- CRCL
- 5.75
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
15.99
- Max
- 17.91
- VRSN
- 15.99
- Q3
- 8.78
- Median
- 4.25
- Q1
- 2.23
- Min
- 0.02
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
VeriSign (VRSN) reports a negative P/B ratio of -12.13, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Circle Internet (CRCL) reports 4.50, ranking against industry peers normally.
CRCL
Software & Services industry group
4.50
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- CRCL
- 4.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
VRSN
Software & Services industry group
-12.13
- Max
- 16.63
- Q3
- 8.50
- Median
- 4.30
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- -3.90
- VRSN
- -12.13
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRCL | VRSN |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 40.89 | 33.23 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 5.75 | 15.99 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 4.50 | -12.13 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.43% | 2.89% |