Datavault AI Signs as Exclusive Technology Partner Powering Mandela Digital and the Mandela Dollar

The Mandela Dollar (MUSD) is purpose-built to expand dollar-denominated financial access across Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and worldwide diaspora remittance corridors, with Datavault AI’s platforms as its exclusive technology stack

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Datavault AI Inc. (“Datavault AI” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: DVLT), a provider of data monetization, credentialing, digital engagement, and real-world asset (‘RWA’) tokenization technologies, today announced it has signed a three-party joint venture agreement with Unity Reserve Holdings L.L.C. (“Unity Reserve”) and Mandela Dlamini & Manaway L.L.C. (“MDM LLC”) forming Mandela Digital, the venture developing the Mandela Dollar (MUSD), a proposed 1:1 USD-backed stablecoin designed to advance financial inclusion across the Global South and beyond. Under the agreement, Datavault AI becomes Mandela Digital’s founding and exclusive technology partner, deploying its full technology stack to power the venture.

Mandela Digital was conceived and structured by Unity Reserve, which brought together two partners: MDM LLC, an organization affiliated with members of the Mandela family and dedicated to advancing Nelson Mandela’s legacy through technology-driven initiatives, and Datavault AI, a NASDAQ-listed technology company in secure asset digitization. The signed agreement formalizes the initiative announced on February 19, 2026, when Datavault AI and members of the Nelson Mandela family introduced the venture, and advances the Mandela Dollar introduction of March 2026. The joint venture is built on a founding vision to pair the moral authority of Nelson Mandela’s legacy with advanced digital financial infrastructure in service of populations that remain unbanked or underbanked.

The venture’s connection to that legacy is structural, not ceremonial. As previously announced, a portion of MUSD protocol revenue is directed to charitable causes supporting education, skills development, and poverty alleviation through partners that promote Nelson Mandela’s values, and the joint venture is overseen by a governance board with representation from all three organizations. At the venture’s formation, HRH Zenani Mandela-Dlamini said her father “believed true freedom includes economic dignity for all,” the principle MUSD is designed to serve.

Mandela Digital’s operational buildout will span MUSD development, regulatory compliance, exchange integrations, liquidity infrastructure, and go-to-market activities, with Datavault AI’s platforms serving as the venture’s technology foundation from day one.

As the venture’s technology partner, Datavault AI will provide its patented AI-powered platforms and scalable RWA frameworks, together with access to SanQtum AI, Available Infrastructure’s zero-trust edge computing platform, to power MUSD’s issuance, redemption, compliance architecture, and on-chain transparency.

A Recurring Technology Role in a Regulated, Expanding Market

Stablecoin operations are transaction infrastructure. Every MUSD issuance, redemption, compliance check, and proof-of-reserve publication is workload that runs on Datavault AI’s platforms, so the Company’s role scales with adoption rather than ending at launch.

The market MUSD addresses is large and structurally underserved. According to the World Bank (2024), remittances to low- and middle-income countries reached an estimated $685 billion in 2024, and the average cost of sending money remains more than double the United Nations’ 3 percent target. In the United States, the GENIUS Act (S. 1582), signed into law in July 2025, established the first federal framework for payment stablecoins, requiring one-to-one reserves and monthly reserve disclosure. MUSD’s specified reserve custody and proof-of-reserve design. Stablecoins in circulation surpassed $300 billion in 2026, per DeFiLlama (2026).

For Datavault AI, MUSD is also a showcase deployment: a working, institutionally specified proof point for the Company’s tokenization and compliance infrastructure that the Company expects to reference in pursuing future digital-currency and RWA mandates.

Key Highlights

  • Signed a three-party joint venture agreement among Datavault AI (NASDAQ: DVLT), Unity Reserve, and MDM LLC, forming Mandela Digital, with Datavault AI as the founding and exclusive technology partner.
  • Full technology deployment: Datavault AI’s patented AI platforms and RWA frameworks operate as the exclusive technology stack for MUSD, with access to SanQtum AI, Available Infrastructure’s zero-trust edge computing platform.
  • The Mandela Dollar (MUSD) is a proposed 1:1 USD-backed stablecoin targeting remittances, digital payments, and financial access across the Global South.

“Our platforms were built for exactly this workload: issuance, redemption, compliance, and on-chain transparency at institutional grade. Mandela Digital gives Datavault AI a founding technology position with recurring economics in what we believe can become significant global financial infrastructure,” said Nathaniel T. Bradley, CEO of Datavault AI.

“Unity Reserve conceived the Mandela Dollar because we identified something this industry has consistently failed to deliver: a stablecoin with institutional architecture and genuine moral authority. Technology without trust is a commodity. Trust without infrastructure does not work either. Datavault AI’s commitment to Mandela Digital brings both through signed, committed capital and the advanced tokenization and secure infrastructure, deployed under a legal agreement. This is how serious financial infrastructure is built. Not announced but constructed. We are now in the construction phase, and this commitment is the first beam in the ground,” said Mustaq Patel, representative for Unity Reserve.

“My grandfather did not measure progress in political terms alone. He measured it in the daily lives of people; in whether a mother could feed her children, whether a young man could save for his future, whether a worker could hold on to the value of what they had earned. These are not abstract freedoms. They are the freedoms that remain unfinished. Mandela Digital was brought to us by Unity Reserve with a clarity of purpose that we found immediately compelling, and Datavault AI’s commitment to this joint venture, in capital, in technology, and in the signed agreement, demonstrates that the institutions backing this work understand the weight of the responsibility. The Mandela name stands behind what endures. We are satisfied that this initiative is built to endure,” said Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway, Director of MDM LLC.

About Datavault AI Inc.

Datavault AI™ (NASDAQ: DVLT) is leading the way in AI-driven data experiences, valuation, and monetization of assets in the Web 3.0 environment. The Company’s cloud-based platform provides comprehensive solutions with a collaborative focus in its Acoustic Sciences and Data Sciences divisions.

Datavault AI’s Acoustic Sciences division features WiSA®, ADIO®, and Sumerian® patented technologies and industry-first foundational spatial and multichannel wireless, high-definition sound transmission technologies with intellectual property covering audio timing, synchronization, and multi-channel interference cancellation. The Data Science division leverages the power of Web 3.0 and high-performance computing to provide solutions for experiential data perception, valuation, and secure monetization.

Datavault AI’s platform serves multiple industries, including high-performance computing software licensing for sports & entertainment, events & venues, biotech, education, fintech, real estate, healthcare, energy, and more. The Information Data Exchange® enables Digital Twins and the licensing of name, image, and likeness by securely attaching physical real-world objects to immutable metadata, fostering responsible AI with integrity. The Company’s technology suite is fully customizable and offers AI- and machine-learning-based automation, third-party integration, detailed analytics and data, marketing automation, and advertising monitoring.

The Company is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.dvlt.ai. Investor information is available at ir.datavaultsite.com. Technology news and insights are published at dvlt.ai/insights.

About Mandela Digital

Mandela Digital is the joint venture formed by Unity Reserve Holdings L.L.C., Mandela Dlamini & Manaway L.L.C., and Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ: DVLT). Mandela Digital is developing the Mandela Dollar (MUSD), a proposed 1:1 USD-backed stablecoin built to institutional specification, with reserves held under segregated custody, periodic proof-of-reserve publication, and a periodic audit posture. MUSD is purpose-built to expand dollar-denominated financial access across the Global South, including but not limited to Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the worldwide diaspora remittance corridors.

About Unity Reserve Holdings L.L.C.

Unity Reserve is the founding architect of Mandela Digital. A financial structuring and digital asset development firm specializing in sovereign-scale tokenization, emerging-market remittances, and real-world asset licensing, Unity Reserve conceived the Mandela Dollar framework and assembled the strategic partnership that gives it life.

About Mandela Dlamini & Manaway L.L.C.

MDM LLC is an organization dedicated to carrying forward the legacy, values, and vision of Nelson Mandela through technology-driven social and economic initiatives globally. MDM LLC brings the moral authority and family stewardship of the Mandela name to the MUSD initiative.

Caution Regarding Unauthorized Tokens

The Mandela Dollar (MUSD) is currently a proposed stablecoin framework and has not yet been developed or launched on any exchange or blockchain, and no assurance can be given that MUSD will be developed, launched, listed, approved or made available in any jurisdiction. Mandela Digital has not authorized any token sale, pre-sale, ICO, IEO, or similar offering. The public is strongly cautioned against any unauthorized tokens, websites, social media accounts, or individuals purporting to represent MUSD or Mandela Digital without authorization. Suspected unauthorized activity should be reported to legal@mandela.digital.

Neither this announcement, the agreement, the joint venture, nor the proposed MUSD framework constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security, digital asset, stablecoin, token, or other investment product.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, and other securities laws) about Datavault AI Inc. (“Datavault AI,” the “Company,” “us,” “our,” or “we”) and our industry that involve risks and uncertainties. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words, such as “may,” “might,” “will,” “shall,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “goal,” “objective,” “seeks,” “likely,” “upcoming” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. The absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding future events, the deployment of Datavault AI’s technology to Mandela Digital; the development and planned launch of the Mandela Dollar (MUSD) stablecoin; the intended design, issuance, redemption, compliance architecture, and on-chain transparency of MUSD; the anticipated exchange integrations and financial-inclusion outcomes across the Global South; the Company’s expectation of recurring platform activity from MUSD operations and of future commercial mandates arising from the MUSD deployment; the expected operational, technical, and commercial outcomes of the Company’s commercial strategy; and the projected direction and market impacts of regulatory changes with respect to digital assets, are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company and its management, are inherently uncertain.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these and other forward-looking statements contained herein.

Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the following: risks relating to evolving regulatory frameworks applicable to stablecoins and tokenized assets; the ability to complete stablecoin development, reserve custody, proof-of-reserve, and audit arrangements on the expected timeline; conditions precedent to the launch of MUSD; uncertainty regarding the pace and extent of MUSD adoption and the associated platform transaction activity; the ability of the joint venture parties to perform under the three-party agreement and to realize the expected benefits of the joint venture; technology build and integration risks; changes in market demand for Datavault AI’s services and products; changes in economic, market, or regulatory conditions; risks associated with technological development and integration; and other risks and uncertainties as more fully described in Datavault AI’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 and other filings that Datavault AI makes from time to time with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov, and could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

The forward-looking statements made in this press release relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. Datavault AI undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

Datavault AI may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in its forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Datavault AI’s forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any future acquisitions, mergers, dispositions, joint ventures, or investments it may make.

Neither this announcement nor the joint venture constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any security, digital asset, or investment product.

Industry and Market Data

Within this press release, we reference information and statistics regarding the market for our products. We have obtained some of this information and statistics from various independent third-party sources, including independent industry publications, reports by market research firms, and other independent sources. Some data and other information contained in this press release are also based on management’s estimates and calculations, which are derived from our review and interpretation of internal surveys and independent sources. Data regarding the industries in which we compete and our market position and market share within these industries are inherently imprecise and are subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties beyond our control, but we believe they generally indicate size, position, and market share within these industries. While we believe such information is reliable, we have not independently verified any third-party information. While we believe our internal company research and estimates are reliable, such research and estimates have not been verified by any independent source. In addition, assumptions and estimates of our and our industry’s future performance are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors. These and other factors could cause our future performance to differ materially from our assumptions and estimates. As a result, you should be aware that market, ranking, and other similar industry data included in this press release, and estimates and beliefs based on that data, may not be reliable.

Trademarks, Trade Names, Service Marks, and Copyrights

We own or have rights to use various trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights, which are protected under applicable intellectual property laws. This press release also contains trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights of other companies, which are, to our knowledge, the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, certain trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights referred to in this press release may appear without the ©, ®, and ™ symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of the applicable licensors to these trademarks, trade names, service marks and copyrights. We do not intend our use or display of other parties’ trademarks, trade names, service marks or copyrights to imply, and such use or display should not be construed to imply a relationship with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, these other parties.

Media Contact:
marketing@dvlt.ai

Investor Contact:
Edward Barger
VP, Investor Relations
ebarger@dvlt.ai | ir@dvlt.ai

Media Contact - Mandela Digital:
info@mandela.digital | mandela.digital

Source: Datavault AI Inc.

Released July 9, 2026