North Dakota Launches Roughrider Stablecoin to Modernize State Finance

North Dakota is making a bold entry into the digital-asset space with the planned 2026 launch of the Roughrider stablecoin. The Bank of North Dakota, leveraging its unique status as the only state-owned bank in the U.S., has partnered with financial-services giant Fiserv to develop this dollar-pegged asset.

The Roughrider stablecoin aims to streamline bank-to-bank settlements, simplify cross-border transactions, and foster local merchant adoption. Built on Fiserv's proprietary platform, it targets the state's community banks and credit unions as primary users.

This initiative reflects North Dakota's strategic push to modernize its financial infrastructure while asserting state-level sovereignty in blockchain innovation. The Roughrider name pays homage to Theodore Roosevelt's cavalry legacy, symbolizing the state's frontier spirit in digital finance.