"GPU-Backed Lending Revolution: AI Startups Get Fast, Equity-Free Cash Flow"

USD.AI, a stablecoin protocol focused on AI infrastructure financing, has raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by Framework Ventures, with participation from investors including Arbitrum and Dragonfly [3]. The platform, developed by Permian Labs, is designed to provide fast and accessible credit to smaller AI companies that are typically excluded from traditional financing channels [5]. By leveraging GPU hardware as collateral, USD.AI has significantly reduced loan approval times—by over 90%—compared to conventional lenders [5]. The protocol offers USDai, a dollar-pegged token, and sUSDai, a yield-bearing version backed by income-generating compute assets, creating a financial layer for AI infrastructure [4].

The project has already secured $50 million in deposits during its private beta phase and is now preparing for a public launch, which includes an initial coin offering (ICO) and a gamified distribution model [5]. USD.AI’s approach is built on a unique on-chain ownership standard called CALIBER, which tokenizes GPU assets as Electronic Document of Title NFTs, allowing AI builders to access liquidity without selling their hardware or giving up equity [4]. This model is intended to democratize access to capital in the AI sector, similar to how the oil boom transformed energy financing in the past [5].

Arbitrum, a key partner in the project, was selected for its deep integration with DeFi liquidity and low-cost, EVM-compatible environment [4]. The platform's TVL on Arbitrum has grown to over $355 million, and in July alone, the chain processed $7.18 billion in stablecoin volume, representing 43% of all stablecoin activity across EVM chains [4]. By anchoring USD.AI on Arbitrum, the protocol can tap into a robust and scalable infrastructure that supports real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, making it easier for AI builders to access global debt capital [4].

Beyond its financial model, USD.AI is also developing a community-driven ecosystem. The protocol will soon launch mainnet on Arbitrum, with USDai pools going live on decentralized exchanges such as Uniswap, Balancer, and Curve. In addition, the platform will introduce a points and referral program to incentivize user participation [4]. The company plans to allocate points earned from deposits for future airdrops and public offering quotas, further engaging its user base [1].

The emergence of USD.AI aligns with broader trends in the crypto and AI industries, where stablecoins are increasingly being used as the backbone for financial automation and risk management. By integrating AI agents with a stable currency, the platform aims to create a more intelligent and efficient financial system capable of supporting autonomous transactions in decentralized finance and beyond [5]. As the demand for AI infrastructure continues to rise, USD.AI’s model could serve as a blueprint for how real-world assets are tokenized and financed in a permissionless and programmable manner.

Source:

[1] USD.AI is pleased to announce its official launch. Points earned from deposits will be used for future airdrops and public offering quotas.

[2] USD.AI - All information about USD.AI ICO (Token Sale) (https://icodrops.com/usd-ai/)

[3] Stablecoin protocol USD.AI completes $13 million Series A ... (https://www.panewslab.com/en/articles/bc327b2f-ab73-47b9-bdbd-bde6b5ac245c)

[4] USD.AI: Accessible AI Infra Financing (https://blog.arbitrum.io/usd-ai-accessible-ai-infra-financing/)

[5] USD.AI Raises $13M to Expand GPU-Backed Stablecoin ... (https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/08/13/usd-ai-raises-usd13m-to-expand-gpu-backed-stablecoin-lending)