UBS’ Blockchain Deal Signals Shift in Global Payments
Swiss bank UBS has formed a partnership with Singapore-based Ant International to develop blockchain-based tokenised deposits for real-time global payments, marking one of the most significant bank-fintech collaborations in Asia’s fast-evolving digital finance landscape.
The two firms signed a Memorandum of Understanding at UBS’ Singapore office, agreeing to explore blockchain solutions that enhance cross-border settlement and liquidity management for Ant International’s global treasury operations.
According to the media release issued on Monday, Ant International will leverage UBS Digital Cash – the blockchain-based payment platform piloted in 2024 – to support faster, more transparent, and more secure settlement processes across multiple markets.
Tokenised Deposits Take Centre Stage
A central part of the partnership is the exploration of tokenised deposits, connecting UBS Digital Cash with Ant International’s proprietary Whale platform, a next-generation blockchain-based treasury management system.
The integrated infrastructure aims to enable real-time fund movements across Ant’s global entities, eliminating traditional cut-off constraints and improving liquidity visibility across currencies.
At the Heart of Digital Asset Innovation
Young Jin Yee, co-head UBS Global Wealth Management Asia Pacific and country head UBS Singapore, said: “This collaboration with Ant International builds on the momentum of our UBS Digital Cash pilot launch last year. By combining our expertise in digital assets with Ant’s advanced blockchain technology, we are working together to deliver a real-time, multi-currency payment solution that sets standards for transparency and efficiency.”
She added that the initiative reinforces UBS’s commitment to expanding client access to global markets through digital innovation.
Strategic Value in Bank-Fintech Partnerships
Kelvin Li, general manager of platform tech at Ant International, said: “We are pleased to partner with UBS, a leading global bank with a proven track record in blockchain innovation. We share a common belief in the potential of these technologies to transform cross-border payments and look forward to driving greater impact together.”
The collaboration highlights a broader shift toward programmable money, tokenised deposits and real-time settlement infrastructure – areas that financial institutions increasingly view as critical for the next phase of cross-border payments.
New Levels of Capital Efficiency
For banks, corporates and wealth managers, the ability to move liquidity instantly across markets can unlock new levels of capital efficiency, risk management and treasury automation.
With Asia emerging as a global centre for digital-asset experimentation, the UBS-Ant alliance underscores the region’s growing influence in shaping how institutional blockchain infrastructure is built and scaled.
