Swift to build blockchain ledger for 24/7 cross-border payments

Swift, the global financial messaging network has announced a transformative step to integrate a blockchain-based shared ledger into its infrastructure.

According to a press release, Swift announced the move at the Sibos conference in Frankfurt on September 29, 2025.

The platform said its initiative aims to enable instant, 24/7 cross-border transactions with unprecedented scalability.

The rollout of the blockchain ledger comes amid the growing embrace of crypto across the financial ecosystem.

Companies like Ripple and its XRP target the cross-border payments market, and by connecting over 11,500 financial institutions across more than 200 countries, Swift may be eyeing a major shift.

Also, collaborating with Consensys and over 30 global financial institutions, Swift is poised as a major player seeking to redefine digital finance.

Notably, this is not Swift's first foray into the blockchain space.

Swift adds blockchain ledger for cross-border payments

Swift’s distributed ledger technology platform targets real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments as its initial use case, addressing long-standing challenges like settlement delays and high costs.

Additionally, the ledger will record, sequence, and validate transactions using smart contracts, ensuring trust and compliance.

Financial institutions from 16 countries are contributing to the ledger’s design, with phase one focusing on completing the prototype and defining future development stages.

Pilot to see Swift partner with major banks

Swift’s ledger is also aiming to integrate traditional finance with emerging digital ecosystems, supporting digital finance and tokenized assets.

The system is designed for integration, connecting existing financial systems with new blockchain networks, with earlier experiments showing its infrastructure can link multiple distributed ledger platforms without disruption.

Fostering inclusivity across global markets, The Ledger will enable banks to transact using any regulated tokenized value.

Swift will collaborate with major institutions and banks, including UBS, BBVA, BNY and HSBC to bring the DLT to the market.

Chainlink and LINEA

The announcement of a blockchain ledger targeting global cross-border transactions follows previous pilots that involved Chainlink and other platforms.

In a comment, Chainlink said:

Last week, the price of Consensys developed layer 2 blockchain Linea soared amid related news.

In particular, reports noted that Swift was set to launch a pilot for its messaging system on the platform.

Swift’s announcement and confirmation of a partnership with Consensys has helped LINEA price remain near its highs on Friday.