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Global Dollar (USDG) Cryptocurrency: Comprehensive Overview
Core Definition and Technology
Global Dollar (USDG) is a regulated, US dollar-pegged stablecoin designed to power fast, low-cost global payments and decentralized finance (DeFi) through a collaborative enterprise network. Issued by Paxos under Singaporean (MAS) and European (MiCA) supervision, each USDG is fully backed 1:1 by cash and high-quality liquid assets.
Blockchain Architecture and Multi-Chain Deployment
USDG launched on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token and expanded to Solana (as an SPL token) in February 2025 to utilize Solana's high throughput and low fees. USDG is issued on Solana, Ethereum, Ink, X Layer and a growing set of public permissionless blockchains. The smart contracts are audited, and the system uses cross-chain mechanisms to manage minting and burning in sync with the underlying dollar reserves.
Technical Implementation
Global Dollar (USDG) operates on blockchain technology, leveraging smart contracts to ensure transparency and security. USDG is minted and burned by Paxos based on fiat inflows and outflows. When a user deposits USD, Paxos mints an equivalent amount of USDG. When redeemed, Paxos burns the corresponding USDG and releases USD back to the user.
Primary Use Cases and Real-World Applications
USDG is especially well-suited for companies seeking an easy, reliable way to integrate blockchain technology into their payment systems and for individuals wanting a stable asset for trading, remittances, and day-to-day transactions in the digital finance ecosystem.
Specific Use Case Implementation
AMINA Bank, Gate, Kraken, Luno and OKX each introduced USDG rewards programs on their platforms. When buying, converting or depositing USDG in their wallets, users earn rewards on their USDG holdings. These rewards are then paid out weekly and users will see their balances increase over the duration of holding.
Bullish, Kraken, OKX, Aleo, Galaxy, Confirmo, Gate and Fuze are putting their funds to work by holding their dollars in USDG. In August, Bullish received IPO proceeds in stablecoins which underscore the role USDG is playing in payments.
USDG has expanded reach in defi across a variety of use cases including as a trusted asset on lending venues such as Kamino, JupLend and Loopscale in addition to being adopted as a core stable asset by Marinade, Solstice, OnRe and more.
Kraken uses USDG in its payments flows as Krak app users can instantly send and receive funds across 160+ countries.
Founding Team, Key Developers, and Project History
Launch and Founding Partners
USDG was launched on November 1, 2024, by Paxos as the core asset of the Global Dollar Network. Founded by Anchorage Digital, Bullish, Galaxy Digital, Kraken, Nuvei, Paxos and Robinhood, GDN is revolutionizing the financial system by making it more accessible and efficient for all.
Issuer and Regulatory Authority
Issued by Paxos Digital Singapore, USDG aims to provide a stable, transparent, and compliant bridge between traditional finance and blockchain technology. Paxos has years of experience as a stablecoin issuer, having over $180B in tokenization activity since 2018 and operating under top regulatory regimes for a decade.
Network Expansion
Global Dollar Network (GDN), an open network dedicated to accelerating and rewarding global stablecoin adoption, today announced that it has grown to 25+ members, a critical milestone demonstrating the important role the network model plays in rapidly expanding reach of stablecoins worldwide. This major achievement underscores GDN's rapid growth and increasing influence in reshaping the financial landscape through its US dollar-backed stablecoin, Global Dollar (USDG), which is supporting 42 million users around the world.
Global Dollar Network (GDN) today announced that it has grown to more than 100 partners globally and its leading USD-backed stablecoin, Global Dollar (USDG), surpassed a market capitalization of $1 billion.
Tokenomics: Supply, Distribution, and Mechanics
Supply Structure
USDG has no fixed supply — it is dynamically minted and burned based on user demand and fiat flows. As of the latest data, the current CoinMarketCap ranking is #41, with a live market cap of $1,593,714,045 USD. It has a circulating supply of 1,594,150,523 USDG coins.
Reserve Backing and Collateralization
USDG is a stablecoin fully backed by US dollar deposits, short-term US government securities, and other high-quality liquid assets, ensuring that each USDG token maintains a 1:1 value with the US dollar. Each USDG token is backed 1:1 by U.S. dollar reserves or equivalent assets, held in segregated accounts at regulated financial institutions such as DBS Bank. Paxos, the issuer, provides regular third-party attestations by Enrome LLP to confirm that reserves match circulating supply.
Distribution Model
The initial supply of USDG was created based on the amount of US Dollars deposited into the reserve. A portion of USDG tokens was allocated to strategic partners to enhance liquidity and foster adoption across different platforms and services.
Inflation/Deflation Mechanics
USDG is not interest-bearing, and Paxos does not use fractional reserves. New USDG tokens are created when users deposit US Dollars into the reserve and are removed from circulation when redeemed back for US Dollars. This process ensures the token supply remains balanced with the reserve funds.
Consensus Mechanism and Network Security Model
Consensus Framework
USDG operates on a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient compared to the traditional proof-of-work systems used by cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Regulatory Compliance and Security
USDG's issuance will adhere to strict regulatory standards, including requirements for value stability, capital adequacy, redemption and par and comprehensive disclosure. Specific regulatory obligations include substantial capital reserve requirements, frequent regulatory examinations, monthly independent attestations of reserve assets, monitoring of operating procedures and annual audits of reserve assets.
It also provides protection from bankruptcy by holding stablecoin reserve assets in segregated accounts held on trust by PDS for the benefit of USDG holders.
Emergency Security Measures
In case of critical security threats, Paxos can pause transfers and approvals while maintaining the ability to mint and burn tokens. This design provides security during emergencies while preserving essential network functions.
Key Partnerships and Ecosystem Integrations
Global Dollar Network Partners
The project is driven by the Global Dollar Network (GDN), an open alliance of over 100 companies including exchanges (Kraken, OKX), fintechs (Robinhood), and infrastructure providers (Visa, WalletConnect). Partners integrate USDG and can earn a share of the revenue generated from the assets backing the stablecoin.
Major Institutional Partners
It powers the Global Dollar Network (GDN)—a growing ecosystem of financial and crypto institutions including Kraken, Robinhood, Mastercard, and Anchorage Digital. DBS Bank, Southeast Asia's largest bank by assets and recognized as the Safest Bank in Asia for 16 consecutive years by Global Finance, will serve as the primary banking partner at launch for cash management and custody of USDG reserves.
Ecosystem Expansion
Notable recent joiners include exchanges & trading specialists (Archax, B2C2, Bilira, Bitnet, Gate, Gemini, JST Digital, Keyrock, Kucoin, LBank, LTP, Merj, Ourbit, PDAX, SwissBorg, Wintermute, Wirex), defi applications (Aleo, Marinade, ONre, Solstice Labs), infrastructure providers (1Money, Kravata, Tangem, TOPOS).
Competitive Advantages and Unique Value Proposition
Revenue-Sharing Model
One of USDG's standout features is the revenue-sharing model of the Global Dollar Network. Unlike other stablecoins, which often retain most of the revenue from their reserve assets, the GDN shares up to 100% of the generated yields with its partners. This makes USDG particularly appealing to enterprises and exchanges, potentially challenging the dominance of stablecoins like Tether and USDC by incentivizing a broader ecosystem of supporters and users.
USDG's primary differentiator is its yield-sharing model, distributing 97% of network economics to partners based on their contributions to adoption and liquidity provision, unlike traditional stablecoins where issuers retain all yields.
Regulatory Compliance Advantage
USDG is issued under the supervision of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and is fully compliant with MiCA, the European Union's regulatory framework for crypto-assets. This gives USDG a significant trust advantage, as it meets rigorous legal standards in both Asia and Europe.
In July 2025, USDG achieved another major milestone when it became one of the first stablecoins to be fully compliant with the European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation. Under this framework, USDG is supervised by authorities such as FIN-FSA in Finland, enabling legal use throughout the EU and strengthening its global credibility.
Transparency and Trust
One of the most distinguishing features of USDG is Paxos's commitment to transparency. Paxos publishes monthly reserve reports to ensure that USDG is fully backed at all times, enabling users to verify the stablecoin's solvency directly. These reports are essential for maintaining public trust, allowing users to confirm that their assets are securely backed by real financial reserves.
Multi-Chain Interoperability
As an ERC-20 token, USDG is interoperable with a wide range of DeFi platforms, wallets, and decentralized applications. It currently functions across Ethereum, Solana, and Kraken's Ink (a ZK-rollup Layer-2 network), giving users the flexibility to access fast, low-cost stablecoin transactions no matter what blockchain environment they prefer.
Current Development Activity and Roadmap Highlights
Recent Milestones
USDG expanded to Solana (as an SPL token) in February 2025 to utilize Solana's high throughput and low fees. In May 2025, GDN announced USDG's launch on Ink Blockchain, expanding its reach in the DeFi ecosystem.
Ecosystem Development
With Paxos Labs' launch of USDG0, more ecosystems can tap into the benefits of a global, interoperable stablecoin.
Future Expansion Plans
Paxos plans to extend USDG to more blockchain networks, enhancing its flexibility and use cases. USDG currently operates on Ethereum, Solana, and Ink networks, with expansion planned to additional MAS-approved blockchains as the ecosystem grows.
Developer Support
By supporting developers in creating new tools and use cases for USDG, the GDN could drive innovation in DeFi, Web3, and cross-border payments, enhancing USDG's relevance and utility in the fast-evolving digital economy.
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