tl;dr
North Dakota partners with Fiserv to launch 'Roughrider Coin,' a U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin aimed at revolutionizing financial transactions and positioning the state as a blockchain leader.
**North Dakota Joins the Stablecoin Revolution with Fiserv Partnership**
In a bold move to embrace blockchain innovation, the U.S. state of North Dakota is entering the stablecoin arena, partnering with payments infrastructure giant Fiserv (FI) to launch a U.S. dollar-backed digital token. The initiative, dubbed *Roughrider Coin*, aims to modernize financial transactions and position the state as a forward-thinking player in the evolving digital economy.
Scheduled to launch in 2024, *Roughrider Coin* will operate on Fiserv’s digital asset platform and integrate with its white-label FIUSD system, a stablecoin network designed for regulated banking environments. The token is intended to streamline bank-to-bank transactions, facilitate global money movement, and boost merchant adoption of digital assets. According to a press release, the collaboration seeks to leverage blockchain’s efficiency, offering a faster, cheaper, and programmable alternative to traditional payment methods.
This development comes as stablecoins continue to dominate the crypto landscape. The asset class has surged to a market value of $293 billion, growing by approximately 70% in the past year. This rapid expansion has been fueled in part by the *GENIUS Act*, a federal law signed by former President Donald Trump in July 2022, which established a regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers and paved the way for broader institutional adoption.
North Dakota’s entry into the stablecoin space follows in the footsteps of Wyoming, which has been a pioneer in crypto-friendly legislation. Wyoming recently launched its state-issued *Frontier Stable Token*, currently in a test phase. North Dakota’s initiative underscores a growing trend among U.S. states to explore blockchain technology as a tool for economic growth and financial innovation.
Fiserv, a key player in the payments industry, processes over 90 billion transactions annually for 10,000 financial institutions. By launching *Roughrider Coin*, the company aims to solidify its role as a bridge between traditional finance and blockchain technology. The partnership with North Dakota’s state-owned Bank of North Dakota highlights Fiserv’s strategic push into the stablecoin sector, which it entered earlier this year with a crypto issuance platform on the Solana blockchain.
The collaboration also reflects a broader shift in the financial sector toward embracing digital assets. As banks and regulators grapple with the opportunities and risks of blockchain, initiatives like *Roughrider Coin* could set a precedent for how traditional institutions adopt and integrate stablecoins into their operations.
With its focus on scalability, compliance, and interoperability, *Roughrider Coin* has the potential to reshape how financial institutions handle cross-border transactions and digital payments. As the stablecoin market continues to evolve, North Dakota’s partnership with Fiserv may serve as a model for other states seeking to harness the power of blockchain while maintaining regulatory safeguards.
In a rapidly changing financial landscape, the state’s move signals a commitment to innovation—and a clear recognition of the transformative potential of stablecoins in the years to come.