At this year’s edition of Davos, SWIFT’s representatives dropped yet another bombshell. CEO Javier Pérez‑Tasso joined Circle’s Gordon Lao in a panel discussion that revolves around bridging the gap between traditional finance & digital finance.
SWIFT Is Putting Focus On Liquidity & Speed
For SWIFT, the 50-year old financial conglomerate is seeking a solution to settle cross-border transactions immediately, for which the blockchain serves the perfect purpose. Existing institutional workflows heavily relies on SWIFT’s new ISO 20022 messaging standard upgrade.
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Another key point from the SWIFT CEO talk delves into expanding access to liquidity through programmable infrastructure, something that Ripple’s XRP Ledger has pioneered. The panel was moderated by Standard Chartered’s SC division, which is focused on disruptive financial tech.
From the ISO 20022 stand-point, Ripple’s XRP Ledger ticks all the boxes – as well as Stellar Lumens (XLM) & Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR). All of the three are highly compatible with the new ISO 20022 gold standard, which 95% of SWIFT-partnering banks are expected to fully adopt by February, 2026.
However, Ripple (XRP) stands out from the crowd as the one constantly garnering massive volumes. While the $5 billion on a daily average hardly matches SWIFT’s $155 trillion annualized trading volume, XRP’s fractions of a cent in fees & instant settlement are something SWIFT is craving for.
HBAR Tops XRP By Key Metric In SWIFT Race
Technically speaking, Hedera’s Hashgraph (HBAR) takes the cake with 10,000 transactions per second (TPS), an incredibly fast speed that’s more likely to handle trillions of dollars in volumes in theory. SWIFT is yet to reveal whether XRP or HBAR performed better during the late 2025 on-rail testing.
On the other hand, one thing is clear – SWIFT’s looking for seamless connection rather than replacing every time-proven system with innovation. Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) based tokens like Ripple (XRP) & HBAR could be used in delivery-versus-payment (DvP), bond redemptions, custody & payment agency.
On The Flipside
- Vague regulatory requirements for other digital assets, except for stablecoins, can overshadow ISO 20022 compatibility.
Why This Matters
Bridging the gap between traditional finance & digital finance can have both sides reaping benefits – adoption comes with better customer protection & instant 24/7 banking capabilities.
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People Also Ask:
SWIFT completed a multi-bank interoperability trial demonstrating coordinated tokenized bond transactions across blockchain and legacy systems.
It’s a hybrid. SWIFT is adding a scalable, blockchain-based shared ledger to their infrastructure for 24/7 cross-border execution, while preserving its messaging dominance.
SWIFT emphasizes neutrality and multi-platform support—no single winner. Trials highlight orchestration across various networks, with ISO 20022 enabling integration.
Stellar prioritizes low-cost, inclusive cross-border transfers, remittances, and stablecoin/CBDC support, with demonstrated ISO 20022 message mappings.
Growth in tokenized assets/CBDCs, regulatory clarity (e.g., MiCA in Europe), bank-led pilots favoring fast settlement, and broader interoperability.
