Sonic Labs has launched USSD, a network-native US dollar stablecoin built on Frax Finance infrastructure. It’s backed 1:1 by US Treasury assets linked to products from BlackRock, Superstate, and WisdomTree.
The company said USSD is designed to serve as the main source of stable liquidity across the Sonic ecosystem, with cross-chain minting available from more than 10 blockchains.
Another Dollar Stablecoin, This Time For Sonic’s DeFi Economy
The launch matters because Sonic is trying to rebuild its financial base while its native S token remains under pressure.
CoinGecko data shows S recently fell to an all-time low of $0.03684 on February 28, 2026, extending a deep slide from its January 2025 peak above $1.00.
USSD is meant to function as Sonic’s core on-chain dollar.
According to Sonic, users can mint it 1:1 with approved assets such as USDC, USDT, PYUSD, USDB, BUIDL, and USTB, while redemptions are designed to work across chains through Frax’s infrastructure.
Sonic says the token is backed by short-duration US Treasury products held through regulated structures, rather than by an algorithmic mechanism.
That distinction is important. Sonic had previously faced scrutiny over stablecoin plans after earlier discussions around an algorithmic dollar model drew criticism in 2025.
USSD takes a more conservative approach by tying the token to Treasury-backed reserves and presenting it as a liquidity and settlement layer rather than a high-yield product.
Even so, the bigger question is whether USSD changes anything for Sonic’s broader outlook.
In recent strategy updates, Sonic said it wants core products to feed value back into the network through buybacks, token burns, and ecosystem incentives.
USSD fits that model because reserve yield is meant to support the network over time.
Still, the launch does not solve Sonic’s main problem on its own. Recent on-chain data has shown low fees and modest trading activity, suggesting the market still wants proof that new products can translate into real usage.
For now, USSD looks less like a turnaround by itself and more like Sonic’s latest attempt to build a stronger base after months of price weakness.
