PHILADELPHIA, PA — Datavault AI (NASDAQ: DVLT) has entered a joint venture to develop a proposed U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin aimed at cross-border payments and financial access in emerging markets, positioning the Philadelphia technology company as the exclusive infrastructure provider for a digital currency targeting underserved banking and remittance corridors.
The company stated it signed a three-party agreement with Unity Reserve Holdings L.L.C. and Mandela Dlamini & Manaway L.L.C. to form Mandela Digital, the entity that will develop the Mandela Dollar (MUSD), a proposed stablecoin backed one-to-one by the U.S. dollar.
The venture plans to target remittances, digital payments and financial services across Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and diaspora communities. Datavault AI said its artificial intelligence platforms, tokenization technology and compliance infrastructure will support the stablecoin’s issuance, redemption, reserve verification and transaction monitoring.
The agreement formalizes a partnership first introduced in February and advances plans for the Mandela Dollar unveiled in March. MDM LLC is affiliated with members of the Mandela family.
Datavault AI said its role extends beyond the initial launch because its technology will process recurring operational functions, including compliance checks, proof-of-reserve reporting and transaction infrastructure.
“Our platforms were built for exactly this workload: issuance, redemption, compliance, and on-chain transparency at institutional grade,” Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel T. Bradley stated. “Mandela Digital gives Datavault AI a founding technology position with recurring economics in what we believe can become significant global financial infrastructure.”
According to the company, the venture’s development roadmap includes regulatory compliance, exchange integrations, liquidity infrastructure and commercialization efforts.
The company cited World Bank data estimating remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached $685 billion in 2024, while average transfer costs remain above the United Nations’ target of 3%. Datavault AI also pointed to the federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins established under the GENIUS Act and said global stablecoin circulation exceeded $300 billion in 2026.
Unity Reserve representative Mustaq Patel described the agreement as the beginning of the venture’s operational buildout, saying the project is moving from concept to implementation.
Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, director of MDM LLC, said the initiative is intended to support broader financial inclusion consistent with the legacy of Nelson Mandela. The company stated a portion of future protocol revenue is intended to support charitable initiatives focused on education, skills development and poverty alleviation through organizations promoting Mandela’s values.
Datavault AI said it also expects the project to serve as a reference deployment for its blockchain, tokenization and compliance technologies as it pursues additional digital currency and real-world asset tokenization opportunities.
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