Core Insights - SWIFT and over 30 global banks are collaborating to make cross-border payments instantaneous and to develop a blockchain-based shared digital ledger for modernizing international bank transactions [1][2][5] Group 1: Project Overview - The initiative aims to enable real-time 24/7 cross-border payments, which are expected to reduce costs and processing times that currently take days [2] - The project will focus on interoperability with emerging systems for stablecoins, tokenized bank deposits, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) [2][4] Group 2: Market Context - SWIFT's existing network connects over 11,000 banks across more than 200 countries, facilitating trillions of dollars in transactions daily [3] - A report by Citi projects that stablecoins could reach up to $4 trillion in circulation by 2030, with an estimated $100 trillion in annual trade using them [4] Group 3: Technological Features - The shared digital ledger is designed to securely log transactions in real-time, record, sequence, validate transactions, and enforce rules through smart contracts [5] - Major financial institutions involved in the project include JPMorgan, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, MUFG, BNP Paribas, Santander, and OCBC, along with banks from the Middle East and Africa [5]