North Dakota is making a significant move in the digital finance space. The state’s own Bank of North Dakota, known as BND, is teaming up with fintech giant Fiserv. Together, they plan to launch a new digital currency called “Roughrider Coin.”
This new stablecoin will be fully backed by US dollars. It will be available to local banks and credit unions starting in 2026. This makes North Dakota the second state in the US to introduce such a token. Wyoming led the way, launching its own stablecoin earlier this year.
Fiserv is a global powerhouse in payments. It handles over 90 billion transactions yearly for 10,000 financial groups. BND is unique as the only state-owned bank in the entire US. They announced this partnership, as detailed in a statement published by Fiserv.
Introducing Roughrider Coin
The Roughrider Coin gets its name from the volunteer military regiment led by Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish-American War. It will run on Fiserv’s digital asset platform, which uses the Solana blockchain.
The coin aims to work smoothly with other digital currencies. Its main goal is to speed up transfers between banks. It also wants to make money move easily across borders and encourage businesses to use it. This combines the steady nature of traditional banking with the new ideas of blockchain for instant, interoperable payments.
Takis Georgakopoulos, Fiserv’s Chief Operating Officer, shared his vision. He stated, “We are entering a new era where payments are instant, interoperable, and borderless.” He added, “With the Roughrider Coin, we bring together the reliability of traditional finance and the innovation of blockchain to offer faster, smarter payments.”
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong highlighted the state’s forward thinking. He said, “As one of the first states to issue our own real-money-backed stablecoin, North Dakota takes a leading approach to creating a secure and efficient financial system for our citizens.” He continued, “The new financial frontier is here. The Bank of North Dakota and Fiserv are helping North Dakota financial institutions embrace new ways to move money with the Roughrider Coin.”
🚀 North Dakota launches its own stablecoin: Roughrider Coin
The Bank of North Dakota and Fiserv are collaborating on this innovative project.
The coin will be available starting in 2026 and will be backed by US dollars.
Roughrider Coin… pic.twitter.com/lQLjchWbsX
— Diario฿itcoin (@Blaze Trends)
A Growing Stablecoin Market
This move by North Dakota comes as the stablecoin market is booming. Over the past year, it has grown significantly. It now holds more than $300 billion, mostly in tokens tied to the US dollar.
Clearer rules have boosted interest in these digital assets. The GENIUS Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July, helped a lot. It set up federal guidelines for regulated stablecoin issuers.
Right after this law, Wyoming became the first US state with its own stablecoin in August. Called Frontier Stable Token, or FRNT, it is also pegged to the dollar. FRNT works across seven different blockchain networks, including Ethereum and Base.
BND started in 1919. Its mission was to help North Dakota’s farming, business, and industry grow. It does this by partnering with over 80 community banks and credit unions. BND sees this stablecoin as a way to use new federal laws. This helps keep the state’s financial sector strong and relevant.
Don Morgan, BND’s Executive Director, explained the bank’s reasoning. He said, “We have a 106-year history of commitment to North Dakota’s agriculture, commerce, and industry through our partnerships with financial institutions.” Morgan added, “The development of the Roughrider Coin reflects that commitment. It also makes sure North Dakota’s financial industry stays healthy for its citizens.”
Following Wyoming’s Path
At first, Roughrider Coin will only be for financial groups in North Dakota. But it could grow to help with transfers between banks and payments to businesses. This would make the state’s financial system, which holds over $10 billion in bank assets, even better.
This plan mirrors Wyoming’s efforts. It also highlights a growing trend in the US financial system: trying out digital tokens. Fiserv plays a key role here. It acts as a bridge between traditional banking and new digital money. Just weeks ago, Fiserv also launched its own stablecoin, FIUSD, on Solana.
These steps are big for regulated “digital dollars” in the country, especially after the new federal rules. Other states might follow suit, pushing this fast-changing sector forward.
Source: Fiserv Newsroom