SWIFT Launches Live Blockchain Settlement Trials
SWIFT, the messaging network that connects over 11,000 financial institutions in more than 200 countries, said its shared ledger project has moved into an MVP (minimum viable product) phase and will enter live settlement trials. The announcement signals a substantive step from experimentation to practical testing, as SWIFT seeks to layer distributed ledger capabilities onto its existing global rails.
If successful, the MVP trials could shorten settlement windows, reduce counterparty and operational risk, and improve reconciliation for cross-border payments while remaining interoperable with legacy rails like SWIFT gpi. Banks, infrastructure providers and regulators will be watching the pilot closely; this is unlikely to replace current systems overnight, but it could accelerate how institutions deploy blockchain for real-world settlement and liquidity management.