Global payments leader SWIFT has quietly begun testing Ripple’s XRP Ledger and Hedera Hashgraph, signaling one of the strongest moves yet by traditional finance toward integrating blockchain into cross-border transactions.
The trials are designed to determine whether these networks can be adapted to existing banking infrastructure under ISO 20022 standards — the same messaging system that underpins global finance.
By experimenting with XRP and HBAR, SWIFT is essentially exploring whether next-generation digital ledgers can be merged with its legacy rails, which currently handle over $150 trillion in cross-border transfers annually. While the institution hasn’t committed to adopting any single blockchain, the fact that XRP and Hedera were selected highlights their growing importance in the conversation about faster, cheaper, and more sustainable global payments.
XRP, already recognized for its strong banking ties and lightning-fast settlement speeds of about 1,500 transactions per second, has long been viewed as a contender for institutional adoption. Hedera’s hashgraph technology, meanwhile, offers throughput exceeding 10,000 transactions per second with minimal energy use — features that could make it highly attractive for enterprise-grade tokenization and asset transfers.
For investors, the implications are massive. Even a sliver of SWIFT’s transaction flow moving onto blockchain rails could generate unprecedented demand for tokens like XRP and HBAR. “The integration of ISO 20022 with digital assets is not just about compatibility, it’s about setting the standard for the next phase of global finance,” one analyst noted.
Despite the news, market reactions were muted. XRP slipped 0.67% to $2.88, while HBAR dipped 1.14% to $0.2338 at press time, reflecting broader market consolidation.
The timing of SWIFT’s experiments coincides with growing institutional and regulatory momentum around digital currencies. In Asia, Hong Kong has launched a stablecoin lab, while China is reportedly weighing yuan-backed stablecoins despite its ongoing ban on crypto trading. In the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission recently unveiled “Project Crypto,” a sweeping initiative aimed at clarifying digital asset classifications and paving the way for blockchain’s integration into traditional markets.
SWIFT’s cautious but proactive approach shows how seriously traditional finance is taking blockchain. The organization’s tests could lay the groundwork for interoperable financial systems that blend the speed of decentralized ledgers with the trust and compliance of existing banking frameworks.
While it remains unclear whether XRP or Hedera will win long-term adoption, the fact that both are being considered by SWIFT places them in a small group of networks with genuine institutional backing. For the crypto industry, this marks another step away from speculative hype and toward real-world financial integration.
