Fiserv and the Bank of North Dakota have announced the launch of Roughrider Coin, the first U.S. state-backed stablecoin fully collateralised by U.S. dollars.
North Dakota Partners with Fiserv to Launch State-Backed ‘Roughrider Coin’
Set to debut in 2026, Roughrider Coin will operate on Fiserv’s digital asset platform, aiming to modernise interbank transactions, enhance global payments, and encourage merchant adoption across the state.
The coin will be accessible to North Dakota’s banks and credit unions, helping them navigate what officials described as a “new financial frontier.”
“As one of the first states to issue our own stablecoin backed by real money, North Dakota is taking a cutting-edge approach to creating a secure and efficient financial ecosystem,” said Governor Kelly Armstrong.
The initiative builds on Fiserv’s existing infrastructure, which supports 10,000 financial institutions and six million merchant locations, processing over 90 billion transactions annually.
Roughrider Coin will leverage the company’s FIUSD stablecoin platform, ensuring interoperability and efficiency across digital payment systems.
“We’re bringing together the reliability of traditional finance and the innovation of blockchain,” said Takis Georgakopoulos, Fiserv’s Chief Operating Officer.
The coin was named in honour of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and will aim to increase bank-to-bank transactions, encourage global money movement, and drive merchant adoption.
