Background: Circ_0026344 was reported to be associated with the metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to investigate the expression of circ_0026344 in CRC and the effect mechanisms of circ_0026344 on CRC.Methods: The expressions of circ_0026344 and miR-31 in clinical CRC tissues or CRC cell lines were analyzed by qPCR. The target of circ_0026344 was predicted and verified by CircInteractome and dual-luciferase reporter assays. The correlation between circ_0026344 and miR-31 expression was analyzed using Pearson analysis. After the CRC cells were overexpressed circ_0026344 or miR-31 or silenced circ_0026344, the viability, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of CRC cells were evaluated by CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and transwell. Also, the expressions of miR-31, Bcl-2, Bax, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin in the cells were detected by qPCR or Western blot. Results: Circ_0026344 was low-expressed in CRC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0026344 sponged miR-31 which was high-expressed in CRC tissues. The expression of circ_0026344 was negatively correlated to the expression of miR-31. The miR-31 expression could be down-regulated by circ_0026344 overexpression. Circ_0026344 overexpression inhibited the cell viability, migration, and invasion; and enhanced the apoptosis of CRC cells. Circ_0026344 overexpression decreased the expressions of Bcl-2 and N-cadherin and increased the expressions of Bax and E-cadherin in CRC cells. Circ_0026344 silencing and miR-31 overexpression had an opposite effect on CRC cells as circ_0026344 overexpression. Furthermore, miR-31 overexpression counteracted the effect of circ_0026344 overexpression.Conclusion: Circ_0026344 overexpression inhibited the migration, invasion, and enhanced apoptosis of CRC cells by sponging miR-31.