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SoFiUSD: A Bank-Issued Stablecoin Entering the Web3 Battlefield

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SoFi Overview

SoFi (short for Social Finance, Inc.) is a U.S.-based fintech company headquartered in San Francisco. It has evolved into a fully licensed digital bank, offering a comprehensive financial platform.

With the mission of “helping members achieve financial independence,” SoFi differentiates itself through a “One-Stop Shop” strategy, providing a wide range of integrated financial services in a highly competitive market.

1. Founding Story & Origins (How It Started)

SoFi was founded in 2011 by four students from the Stanford Graduate School of Business: Mike Cagney, Dan Macklin, James Finnigan, and Ian Brady.

Key Milestones:

• Initial Insight The founders identified that graduates from top universities had strong credit profiles and high income potential, yet were burdened with high-interest student loans.
• Alumni Funding Model The company initially adopted a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending model, connecting students in need of funding with alumni investors. This model inspired the name “Social Finance.”
• First Pilot Program Launched at Stanford University, where 40 alumni invested $2 million into loans for 100 students —…