Open Standard Launched OUSD Stablecoin With $1B Backing

Businesses can now mint and redeem this dollar-backed stablecoin with no fees, aiming to reduce payment costs.

Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a single metallic coin with a geometric pattern, representing digital stablecoin infrastructure. — Open Standard has launched OUSD, a new stablecoin backed by U.S. dollar reserves, to facilitate business payments with no minting or redemption fees. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Open Standard has officially launched OUSD, a stablecoin backed by U.S. dollar reserves. Over 140 businesses have signed up to utilize the platform for payments, which operates across Ethereum, Base, Solana, and Tempo.

Why it matters

The project seeks to lower operational costs for businesses by removing minting and redemption fees while offering partners potential equity based on activity. It addresses industry concerns regarding limited access to reserve revenue and business influence in payment ecosystems.

The platform launched with $1 billion in liquidity and requires 100% reserve backing for all OUSD tokens in circulation. Over 140 businesses have already signed up to integrate the coin, which currently faces no transaction fees for minting or redemption.

The players

Open Standard

A financial infrastructure firm led by CEO Zach Abrams that focuses on reducing payment costs for businesses.

Zach Abrams

The CEO of Open Standard who is overseeing the launch and expansion of the OUSD stablecoin.

Bridge

A stablecoin issuance platform providing the technical infrastructure and reserve transparency reporting for OUSD.

The details

OUSD is issued via the Bridge platform, which provides transparency through published reserve data to verify asset coverage. Businesses can operate on multiple chains, including Ethereum and Solana, to facilitate transactions without the traditional fee structures found in legacy payment systems. The model incentivizes early adoption by offering founding partners and participants potential equity stakes tied to the coin's total supply and transaction activity.

June 30, 2026: Open Standard announced the OUSD project.
September 30, 2026: The OUSD stablecoin went live.

Market Landscape

The launch of OUSD follows a long-standing industry trend of corporate consortia attempting to disintermediate legacy financial networks. It marks a significant shift from centralized bank-based payment rails to decentralized, equity-incentivized models.

Operators should evaluate if their current payment processing fees exceed the potential costs of maintaining OUSD reserves and Bridge platform integration. Finance managers should monitor the liquidity and transparency reports published by the issuer to ensure the assets remain fully backed.

The takeaway

The move suggests a growing push for businesses to gain direct influence over payment network governance. Operators should track the platform's adoption rate and reserve transparency reports as a signal of whether this model offers a viable alternative to existing merchant service agreements.