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U.S. Bancorp announced plans to launch its own stablecoin, joining a growing list of traditional financial institutions moving into digital-asset infrastructure. The move reflects banks' increasing interest in blockchain-based payment rails as competition from crypto-native firms intensifies. The launch adds U.S. Bancorp to a wave of banks exploring stablecoin issuance following recent regulatory developments around digital assets, as lenders look to capture payment and settlement business that might otherwise migrate to crypto platforms.