Banks to Join SWIFT Digital Asset Trials in 2025

Banks across North America, Europe, and Asia are gearing up to participate in upcoming trials involving digital assets organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT).

On October 3, SWIFT announced its intention to begin trials on its network in 2025. These trials will explore transactions that include a variety of digital currencies and assets. The primary objective is to investigate how the banking network can facilitate unified access for financial institutions to “multiple digital asset classes and currencies.”

The initial use cases for these trials will center around payments, foreign exchange, securities, and trade. The aim is to enable multi-ledger delivery-versus-payment and payment-versus-payment transactions. This functionality could significantly streamline and enhance the way banks handle digital assets.

Addressing Fragmentation in the Digital Asset Landscape

SWIFT’s announcement also shed light on the rapid proliferation of unconnected platforms and technologies within the digital asset economy, which has contributed to an increasingly fragmented landscape.

According to SWIFT, this fragmentation creates a “complex web of ‘digital islands’” that poses significant challenges to global adoption. The organization stated:

“SWIFT’s trials will leverage its unique position […] to interlink these disparate networks with each other as well as with existing fiat currencies, enabling its global community to seamlessly transact using digital assets and currencies alongside traditional forms of value.”

Tom Zschach, SWIFT’s chief innovation officer, emphasized the organization’s commitment to developing mainstream applications that bridge emerging and established forms of value. He noted that for digital assets and currencies to thrive on a global scale, it is essential for them to coexist seamlessly with traditional forms of money. Zschach remarked:

“For digital assets and currencies to succeed on a global scale, it’s critical that they can seamlessly coexist with traditional forms of money.”

SWIFT has not yet commented on which specific digital assets are likely to be involved in its 2025 blockchain trials or when these trials are expected to commence.

SWIFT’s Ongoing Blockchain Initiatives

The upcoming digital currency trials are part of SWIFT’s broader efforts to experiment with blockchain, tokenization, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The organization, established in the 1970s, has been actively exploring ways to enhance its services through technology.

On September 16, SWIFT joined forces with the Bank for International Settlements and a consortium of central banks for Project Agorá. This initiative aims to explore how tokenized commercial bank deposits can be integrated with tokenized wholesale CBDCs on a single platform.

In March 2024, SWIFT proposed the creation of a blockchain-based “state machine.” This dynamic model would reflect the current state of transactions and balances across various institutions. The proposed tool could utilize existing ISO-20022 messaging technology and could operate on a blockchain or a centralized platform like SWIFT’s Transaction Manager.

Enhancing Cross-Chain Interoperability

Last year, SWIFT issued a report examining potential methods for connecting diverse blockchains, addressing the crucial issue of cross-chain interoperability. This report indicates the organization’s proactive approach to ensuring that digital assets can be effectively integrated into existing financial systems.

SWIFT’s upcoming digital asset trials represent a significant step forward in the integration of blockchain technology within traditional banking frameworks. By enabling banks to test transactions involving multiple digital currencies and assets, SWIFT aims to create a more interconnected financial landscape that benefits both institutions and their customers.

As the trials approach, the outcomes could have profound implications for how banks operate in a digital economy, enhancing efficiency and opening new avenues for financial innovation. The continued exploration of blockchain technology, coupled with the push for interoperability, positions SWIFT as a key player in the evolving digital asset space.