Miami – September 28, 2026 -- Chainlink said it is enabling financial institutions to connect their systems and key-signing infrastructure to Swift's blockchain ledger, opening a path for banks to run 24/7 tokenized deposit payments without replacing existing settlement arrangements.
Chainlink Runtime Environment powers a self-signing model for bank connectivity
The solution centers on a self-signing model built through the Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE), which orchestrates workflows linking financial institutions to Swift's ledger while institutions retain control of transaction-authorizing keys. Banks can adopt round-the-clock tokenized payment workflows while preserving current security governance, approval processes, and operating models.
Swift's ledger coordinates tokenized deposits held on banks' own balance sheets
Swift's ledger acts as a secure orchestration layer for cross-border payments using tokenized deposits that remain on banks' own ledgers, including overnight and weekend transfers. Final settlement continues through existing mechanisms such as real-time gross settlement systems, meaning Swift's role as a global messaging network is unchanged.
Seventeen banks are already piloting the ledger after a nine-month build
Swift unveiled the shared ledger at Sibos 2025, developing it with more than 40 financial institutions worldwide and moving from concept to activation in nine months. Seventeen first-mover institutions are now piloting tokenized deposit transactions across various use cases on the network, which connects more than 11,500 financial institutions and corporates in over 200 markets.
Chainlink Labs CEO Sergey Nazarov said the company is supporting the Swift ledger as more banks seek to join and require a technology partner to launch tokenized deposit capabilities while connecting to Swift's network.