Swift's blockchain initiative accelerates the case for Ripple as the dominant cross-border payment network

Recent developments indicate SWIFT’s plans to integrate with Ripple’s XRP Ledger, promising faster, cheaper international transactions and a significant shift in global financial infrastructure.Recent independent research carried out by market analyst SMQKE has pulled the spotlight back onto Ripple’s XRP Ledger, especially amid some recent developments involving SWIFT, which, as you might know, is the major global financial messaging network. Now, SWIFT recently announced that it’s planning to create its own standalone blockchain. But, and here’s the interesting part, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re avoiding collaborations with other blockchain projects. In fact, SWIFT has scheduled testing for potential integrations with Ripple’s XRP and Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR) come the fourth quarter of 2025. The goal is to tackle those persistent issues like sluggish cross-border payments and hefty transaction fees. It's pretty exciting because if these integrations between SWIFT and Ripple's XRP Ledger really take off, they could change the face of international payments — making them much faster and less costly in the process. At the moment, a typical XRP Ledger transaction costs around $0.00003—an extremely small fee, with the base transaction fee set at just 0.00001 XRP. Meanwhile, SWIFT’s old-school messaging system normally charges anywhere from $20 to $50 per transaction and can take three to four days to settle. So, leveraging the XRP Ledger’s ability to process payments quickly and cheaply could be a game-changer. In fact, Ripple’s XRP Ledger handles over $10 billion in transfers daily, which far surpasses Hedera Hashgraph’s roughly $200 million per day volume, making XRP a pretty strong candidate for scalable financial messaging. What’s more, the use of XRP on SWIFT isn’t just some far-off concept. There are already third-party solutions, like PaymentSafe, which facilitate moving XRP across the SWIFT network through something called Straight-Through Processing, or STP. PaymentSafe acts almost like a universal translator, converting payment formats and letting XRP be used without needing major system overhauls. The fact that XRP is ISO 20022-compatible and aligns well with SWIFT’s upcoming standards really highlights its potential as a multi-currency bridge when it comes to financial communication. Beyond that interoperability angle, XRP’s technical features set it apart from many other cryptocurrencies. For example, its ledger can process transactions in roughly 3 to 5 seconds — way faster than Bitcoin’s usual ten-minute confirmation times or Ethereum’s typical 13 to 15 seconds, even before Ethereum 2.0 upgrades are factored in. The XRP Ledger can handle up to 1,500 transactions every second, which beats Bitcoin’s 7 and outperforms Ethereum’s speed before the network upgrade. And this high performance doesn’t hinge on mining or heavy proof-of-work calculations, which is a huge plus. As a result, the transaction costs stay well below a penny, making the system both cost-effective and scalable. Interestingly enough, the fees on the XRP Ledger serve more purposes than just paying for transactions. They’re tiny amounts of XRP that are actually burned — destroyed — instead of being paid out. This process discourages spam attacks on the network and at the same time gradually reduces XRP’s total supply over time. It’s a different approach compared to other blockchain fee models, and it helps keep the ledger sustainable and secure. Looking at recent data from the first quarter of 2024, activity on the XRP Ledger has been booming. Transaction volumes jumped by a hefty 108%, reaching about 251 million transactions compared to the previous quarter. Meanwhile, the average cost per transaction fell by about 45%, dropping just below $0.001. Even with the surge in activity, there’s no sign of network congestion — which is pretty impressive. These figures clearly demonstrate the ledger’s capacity to support high-volume, low-cost transactions, a vital feature for large-scale financial infrastructure. And, of course, SWIFT’s exploration of blockchain solutions, including testing both XRP and HBAR, shows that it’s more of an evolving strategy rather than an exclusive move. While developing its own blockchain platform, SWIFT seems to be hedging its bets by exploring well-established, efficient networks like Ripple’s XRP Ledger. This indicates a shift in the financial market infrastructure landscape, aiming for more interoperable blockchain solutions that can make cross-border payments quicker and cheaper. Honestly, it’s pretty interesting, right? The ongoing moves—well, at least to me—hint at a future where different blockchain systems work more closely together to streamline international financial transactions. I find it surprising that major players like SWIFT are openly exploring these options, but it makes sense given the persistent demand for faster, cheaper cross-border payments. The actual impact and timing are still to be seen, but the signs point toward a big shift ahead. Source: Noah Wire ServicesVerification / Sources https://dailycoin.com/xrp-analyst-swift-isnt-picking-sides-on-integration/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data https://xrpauthority.com/xrps-unique-technology-how-it-works/xrps-speed-and-scalability-compared-to-other-cryptos/ - This article compares the XRP Ledger's transaction speed and scalability to other cryptocurrencies. It highlights that XRP transactions settle in 3 to 5 seconds, significantly faster than Bitcoin's approximately 10 minutes per block confirmation. Additionally, XRP's average transaction fee is a fraction of a cent, around 0.00001 XRP, making it more cost-effective than Bitcoin and Ethereum, which can have higher fees during network congestion. The article also notes that XRP can process up to 1,500 transactions per second, surpassing Bitcoin's 7 transactions per second and Ethereum's pre-2.0 throughput of 13–15 seconds per block. https://xrpauthority.com/david-schwartz-and-the-creation-of-the-xrp-ledger/how-the-xrp-ledger-achieves-fast-and-cheap-transactions/ - This article explains how the XRP Ledger achieves fast and inexpensive transactions. It details that the XRP Ledger's base transaction cost is set at 0.00001 XRP, which serves as a deterrent against spam attacks rather than a source of revenue. These fees are automatically destroyed (burned), reducing the total supply of XRP over time. The article also discusses how the XRP Ledger's efficient architecture, with no mining and no need for computationally expensive proof-of-work algorithms, allows the network to process transactions quickly and at low costs, making it ideal for enterprise-level applications, including microtransactions and cross-border remittances. https://xrpauthority.com/education/what-is-xrp-the-ultimate-beginners-guide/how-xrp-transactions-work-speed-costs/ - This article provides an overview of how XRP transactions work, focusing on speed and costs. It compares XRP's transaction speed and costs to those of Bitcoin and Ethereum, noting that XRP transactions settle in 3 to 5 seconds, while Bitcoin transactions take approximately 10 minutes and Ethereum transactions can take 13–15 seconds. The article also highlights that XRP's average transaction fee is a fraction of a cent, around 0.00001 XRP, making it more cost-effective than Bitcoin and Ethereum, which can have higher fees during network congestion. Additionally, XRP can process up to 1,500 transactions per second, surpassing Bitcoin's 7 transactions per second and Ethereum's pre-2.0 throughput of 13–15 seconds per block. https://xrpauthority.com/education/the-xrp-ledger-how-it-works-why-it-matters/xrp-ledger-vs-bitcoin-blockchain-key-differencescomparing-the-xrp-ledgers-speed-and-efficiency-to-bitcoins-blockchain/ - This article compares the XRP Ledger's speed and efficiency to Bitcoin's blockchain. It notes that XRP transactions are confirmed within 3 to 5 seconds, while Bitcoin's transactions can take approximately 10 minutes. The article also highlights that XRP can process up to 1,500 transactions per second, significantly outpacing Bitcoin's 7 transactions per second. Additionally, XRP's transaction costs are a fraction of a cent, making it more cost-effective than Bitcoin, which can have higher fees during network congestion. The article attributes these advantages to the XRP Ledger's consensus protocol, which allows for near-instant finality without requiring extensive computational work. https://xrpl.org/docs/concepts/transactions/fees - This official XRP Ledger documentation explains the fee structure of the network. It details that the transaction cost, sometimes called the transaction fee, is a minuscule amount of XRP destroyed to send a transaction. This cost scales with the load of the network, which protects the peer-to-peer network from spam. The document also discusses the reserve requirement, which is a minimum amount of XRP that an account must hold. These fees are not paid to anyone but are destroyed, reducing the total supply of XRP over time. The document emphasizes that the rules of the XRP Ledger include several types of fees, including neutral fees that protect the ledger against abuse. https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/article/xrp-ledger-transaction-volume-soars-and-transaction-costs-plummet-in-q1-2024 - This article reports on the XRP Ledger's performance in Q1 2024. It discloses that on-chain transaction activity on the XRPL surged by 108% in Q1 2024, with approximately 251.39 million transactions recorded compared to 121.03 million in Q4 2023. In addition to the spike in transaction volume, the average cost per transaction witnessed a significant decline of 45%, reaching approximately $0.000856. The report highlights that this decrease in average transaction cost indicated a reset and demonstrated that no network congestion occurred during the quarter. The article also briefly addresses the ongoing legal battle between Ripple and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Noah Fact Check Pro The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation. Freshness check Score: 8 Notes: The narrative references recent developments, including SWIFT's announcement of building a standalone blockchain and testing integrations with Ripple's XRP and Hedera Hashgraph in Q4 2025. The earliest known publication date of similar content is October 2, 2025, indicating the information is current. The report cites an independent research by market analyst SMQKE, which adds credibility to the freshness of the content. However, the report also mentions that SWIFT has scheduled testing for potential integrations with Ripple’s XRP and Hedera Hashgraph in the fourth quarter of 2025, which may indicate that the content is based on a press release. Press releases typically warrant a high freshness score but may lack originality. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The narrative does not appear to be recycled from low-quality sites or clickbait networks. Overall, the freshness score is high, but the potential reliance on a press release suggests a need for further verification. Quotes check Score: 9 Notes: The report includes direct quotes from SMQKE, such as: "SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) recently drew attention to XRP’s functional positioning within the distributed ledger ecosystem by sharing an academic visual taxonomy of ledgers." A search for the earliest known usage of this quote indicates that it originates from SMQKE's own social media post dated May 31, 2025. This suggests that the quotes are original and not reused from other sources. No variations in wording were found, and no online matches were identified for identical quotes elsewhere. Therefore, the quotes are likely original or exclusive content. Source reliability Score: 6 Notes: The narrative originates from DailyCoin, a cryptocurrency-focused news outlet. While DailyCoin provides coverage on cryptocurrency topics, it is not as widely recognized as major news organizations like the Financial Times, Reuters, or the BBC. The report cites an independent research by market analyst SMQKE, which adds credibility. However, SMQKE's findings are presented without external verification, and the report does not provide links to the original research. Additionally, the report mentions that SWIFT has scheduled testing for potential integrations with Ripple’s XRP and Hedera Hashgraph in the fourth quarter of 2025, which may indicate that the content is based on a press release. Press releases typically warrant a high freshness score but may lack originality. Given these factors, the source reliability score is moderate. Plausability check Score: 7 Notes: The narrative discusses SWIFT's exploration of blockchain technologies, including potential integrations with Ripple's XRP and Hedera Hashgraph. This aligns with SWIFT's previous announcements about testing digital asset transactions and its transition to the ISO 20022 messaging standard. However, the report's claim that SWIFT is not 'picking sides' on integration is not directly supported by the cited sources. While SWIFT has conducted trials with various blockchain technologies, it has not explicitly stated a preference for any specific solution. The report also mentions that SWIFT has scheduled testing for potential integrations with Ripple’s XRP and Hedera Hashgraph in the fourth quarter of 2025, which may indicate that the content is based on a press release. Press releases typically warrant a high freshness score but may lack originality. Given these considerations, the plausibility score is moderate. Overall assessment Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM Summary: The narrative presents current developments regarding SWIFT's exploration of blockchain technologies, including potential integrations with Ripple's XRP and Hedera Hashgraph. The information is recent, with the earliest known publication date of similar content being October 2, 2025. The quotes are original, sourced from SMQKE's own social media post dated May 31, 2025. However, the report originates from DailyCoin, a cryptocurrency-focused news outlet, and cites SMQKE's research without external verification. Additionally, the report mentions that SWIFT has scheduled testing for potential integrations with Ripple’s XRP and Hedera Hashgraph in the fourth quarter of 2025, which may indicate that the content is based on a press release. Press releases typically warrant a high freshness score but may lack originality. Given these factors, the overall assessment is 'OPEN' with a medium confidence level.

Snowflake has unveiled Cortex AI for Financial Services, a tailored platform that integrates proprietary and third-party data with AI models, emphasising security and regulatory compliance for tasks from fraud detection to risk modelling.Snowflake has introduced Snowflake Cortex AI for Financial Services, a tailored suite of AI capabilities combined with strategic data partnerships aimed at helping financial institutions unify their data ecosystems and deploy AI models securely—all while adhering to regulatory standards. This offering is notable as Snowflake’s industry-specific AI suite designed for the financial sector, supporting applications in areas such as market analysis, quantitative research, fraud detection, customer support, claims management, risk modeling, compliance, and underwriting. At the heart of this suite is the Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, currently in public preview, which simplifies and secures access to proprietary and third-party data from partners including FactSet, MSCI, Nasdaq eVestment, and The Associated Press. By obviating the need for custom integrations, the MCP Server enables organizations to connect their data with various AI agents and platforms—examples include Anthropic, CrewAI, Cursor, Devin by Cognition, Salesforce’s Agentforce, Windsurf, and others—fostering the development of context-aware AI agents and applications. Snowflake emphasizes that bringing AI directly to where data resides, coupled with secure interoperability with remote agents, makes it easier for highly regulated industries like financial services to support critical use cases while maintaining strict governance and compliance standards. The Cortex AI suite offers tools such as the Snowflake Data Science Agent, which accelerates machine learning workflows by automating tasks like data preparation, feature engineering, and model validation—streamlining the development of risk models, compliance tools, fraud detection systems, and underwriting algorithms. Additionally, Snowflake Cortex AISQL supports analysis of unstructured data—including market research, earnings call transcripts, and transaction details—by providing AI-driven functions for extraction, transcription, and processing. This enables organizations to handle large-scale document, audio, and image data, supporting use cases such as customer service enhancement, investment analysis, and claims processing. For business users, Snowflake Intelligence, now in public preview, offers a natural language interface to query data stored within Snowflake and from integrated third-party sources. This functionality allows non-technical users to access insights more easily, broadening the scope of data-driven decision-making across organizations. The MCP Server functions as a secure hub to connect AI agents with enterprise data, following emerging standards for Model Context Protocol. This setup enables seamless integration with a wide range of agent platforms—including those from Anthropic, Augment Code, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, CrewAI, Cursor, Devin by Cognition, Glean, Mistral, Salesforce’s Agentforce, UiPath, Windsurf, Workday, and Writer—providing both structured and unstructured data access while upholding security and governance protocols. Recent coverage underscores Snowflake's focus on constructing industry-specific AI solutions, aligning with broader market trends where enterprises develop domain-tailored AI tools. This approach contrasts with some competitors, such as Databricks, which offer more broad-based AI platforms. Snowflake’s targeted industry solutions reflect its strategy to deepen its foothold in regulated sectors, particularly financial services. Further demonstrating its commitment, Snowflake plans to host a webinar titled 'Snowflake Cortex AI: Accelerating Financial Services with Agentic AI' on October 30, 2025. The session promises an in-depth look at its AI platform capabilities, including the Data Science Agent and Snowflake Intelligence, alongside discussions on AI governance and observability—key factors in deploying AI responsibly and effectively. Overall, Snowflake Cortex AI for Financial Services signifies a strategic move toward embedding AI workflows directly into core financial operations, facilitating secure and efficient data integration, and enhancing operational efficiencies in a heavily regulated environment. References: - Fintech News Singapore - Investing.com - GuruFocus - Constellation - SiliconANGLE - Snowflake Documentation and Webinars Source: Noah Wire ServicesVerification / Sources https://fintechnews.sg/119655/ai/snowflake-cortex-ai-mcp-server-financial-services/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/snowflake-launches-cortex-ai-for-financial-services-sector-93CH-4268784 - Snowflake has introduced Snowflake Cortex AI for Financial Services, a suite of AI capabilities designed to help financial institutions unify their data ecosystems and deploy AI models while maintaining regulatory compliance. The company also unveiled a new managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, now in public preview, which allows organizations to connect their proprietary data with third-party data from partners including FactSet, MSCI, Nasdaq eVestment, and The Associated Press. This expansion comes as Snowflake maintains strong revenue growth of 28% year-over-year, with 37 analysts recently revising their earnings expectations upward, according to InvestingPro data. https://www.gurufocus.com/news/3129071/snowflake-snow-launches-cortex-ai-for-financial-services - Snowflake has unveiled its new Cortex AI platform designed specifically for the financial services sector. This innovative solution aims to streamline financial firms' data ecosystems and facilitate the secure deployment of AI models and applications. Additionally, Snowflake introduced the managed Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, now available for public preview. This server will enable organizations to leverage both proprietary and third-party data securely from partners such as FactSet and Nasdaq eVestment. The platform supports enhanced capabilities, including market analysis, fraud detection, and customer support through the integration with various AI applications. https://www.snowflake.com/en/webinars/demo/snowflake-cortex-ai-accelerating-financial-services-with-agentic-ai-2025-10-30/ - Snowflake is hosting a webinar titled 'Snowflake Cortex AI: Accelerating Financial Services with Agentic AI' on October 30, 2025. The session will provide an exclusive first look at Snowflake’s end-to-end AI platform for the financial services enterprise, showcasing new agentic capabilities, including Data Science Agent and Snowflake Intelligence. The webinar will also cover Snowflake's approach to AI governance and observability, demonstrating how these capabilities can supercharge daily workflows and deliver tangible ROI to enterprises. https://www.constellationr.com/blog-news/insights/snowflake-launches-cortex-ai-financial-services-mcp-server - Snowflake launched Snowflake Cortex AI for Financial Services, a suite designed to connect AI models to financial data, apps, and data via model context protocol (MCP). The move highlights how industries are increasingly building enterprise AI plans around proprietary and industry-specific data. Snowflake said the linchpin of the financial services offering is the company's new MCP Server, which connects data from the likes of MSCI, Nasdaq, AP, and eVestment with agents built on Anthropic, CrewAI, Cursor, Cognition, and Windsurf. The company said Snowflake MCP Server is in public preview. Snowflake MCP Server can connect to platform tools such as Cortex Analyst and Cortex Search as well as third-party external tools and data. https://siliconangle.com/2025/10/02/snowflakes-first-industry-specific-ai-suite-targets-financial-services/ - Snowflake Inc. today unveiled its first set of bundled artificial intelligence tools oriented toward a vertical industry. Cortex AI for Financial Services encompasses a suite of capabilities and data partnerships aimed at banks, insurers, and investment firms. The company also announced the Snowflake-hosted Model Context Protocol Server in public preview, providing a secure and standardized way for users to connect enterprise data with third-party AI agents and data sources. While the company has rolled out numerous AI tools across its platform over the past year, this is the first time it has addressed a specific industry. Rival Databricks Inc. began its own vertical market push three years ago and now has more than a dozen industry- and function-specific platforms, although not all are AI-focused. https://docs.snowflake.com/user-guide/snowflake-cortex/llm-functions - Snowflake Cortex AISQL enables users to run unstructured analytics on text and images with industry-leading large language models (LLMs) from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Mistral AI, and DeepSeek. Cortex AISQL supports use cases such as extracting entities to enrich metadata, aggregating insights across customer tickets, filtering and classifying content by natural language, sentiment and aspect-based analysis for service improvement, translating and localizing multilingual content, and parsing documents for analytics and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) pipelines. All models are fully hosted in Snowflake, ensuring performance, scalability, and governance while keeping your data secure and in place. Noah Fact Check Pro The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation. Freshness check Score: 10 Notes: The narrative is current, with the announcement made on October 2, 2025. No evidence of prior publication or recycled content was found. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The content is original and not republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. No earlier versions show different figures, dates, or quotes. The article includes updated data and introduces new material, justifying a higher freshness score. Quotes check Score: 10 Notes: The direct quote from Baris Gultekin, Vice President of AI at Snowflake, appears to be original, with no identical matches found in earlier material. The wording is consistent with the context of the announcement. No variations in quote wording were noted. No online matches were found for the quote, indicating potential originality or exclusivity. Source reliability Score: 8 Notes: The narrative originates from Fintech News Singapore, a reputable source in the fintech industry. While not as widely known as some global outlets, it is a legitimate and credible source. The report is based on a press release from Snowflake, a well-established company in the data cloud sector. The press release is accessible on Snowflake's official website, confirming its authenticity. Plausability check Score: 10 Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and align with Snowflake's known initiatives and recent developments. The introduction of Cortex AI for Financial Services and the MCP Server is consistent with Snowflake's strategic focus on AI and financial services. The narrative includes specific details about the features and partnerships, which are corroborated by other reputable sources. The language and tone are appropriate for the industry and region. No excessive or off-topic details are present, and the tone is consistent with corporate communications. Overall assessment Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH Summary: The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from a reputable outlet. The claims are plausible and supported by other reputable sources. No signs of disinformation or credibility issues were identified.

BBVA collaborates with SWIFT and ConsenSys to develop a new blockchain-based network designed to facilitate real-time, secure, and cost-effective international transactions, marking a significant step towards digital financial integration.BBVA has teamed up with SWIFT to bring blockchain technology into the fold of the global financial infrastructure. The main goal here? To make international transactions as quick, efficient, and secure as those we do domestically. This new network, which was developed in partnership with ConsenSys— a company well-known for its blockchain solutions— will function as a shared, ultra-secure digital ledger. It records cross-border transactions in real time using smart contracts, effectively cutting out middlemen and bringing down costs. What’s really notable is that this network will support 24/7 payment processing, stablecoins, and the transfer of tokenized financial assets—think digital currencies, bonds, or deposits—across blockchain networks instantly. Plus, everything will be fully traceable. This step is seen as a vital move toward creating interoperable financial systems that align with SWIFT’s standards for regulation and governance. The aim is to boost transparency, security, and speed—especially in areas like business-to-business payments, international remittances, and settling assets. Now, integrating a blockchain-based ledger into SWIFT’s current setup signals a clear strategy to push digital finance adoption worldwide. The project is still in its prototype phase, with ongoing development and testing of real-world use cases to make sure this tech can be smoothly incorporated into the broader global financial system. By collaborating with ConsenSys—businesses that excel in decentralized applications—they’re working towards building a platform capable of connecting current and future networks. Essentially, they want a payment system that’s more agile, inclusive, and capable of operating around the clock, all while relying less on traditional middlemen. BBVA’s involvement in this blockchain initiative is a reflection of its broader commitment to digital innovation and embracing new tech in finance. Beyond just this SWIFT partnership, BBVA has also been expanding its crypto and blockchain capabilities through different strategic alliances. For example, in Switzerland, BBVA partnered with Metaco to improve its digital asset custody services. They use Metaco’s Harmonize™ platform integrated with Avaloq’s banking software, giving institutional clients a way to securely buy, sell, and safely hold cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum—regulatory compliance included. And it doesn’t stop there. BBVA has teamed up with Ripple to enhance its crypto-asset trading services, making it possible for customers in Spain to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies directly through mobile apps. That’s a big deal—improving accessibility to digital assets. Additionally, BBVA is very active in blockchain governance and ecosystem development within Europe and Spain. They are among the founding members of IATBA—the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications—which is backed by the European Commission. This forum works to promote blockchain interoperability, develop sector-specific guidelines, and support Europe’s overall blockchain strategy. Back home, BBVA helped launch the Lyra Network, Spain’s first multisectoral blockchain consortium. This group focuses on developing open-code platforms for distributed ledger technology, initially working on digital ID systems that comply with regulations. Their goal? To facilitate secure, trusted data sharing among different network participants. All in all, these initiatives make BBVA a key player in pushing blockchain into traditional financial services. Their multi-pronged approach—joining global consortia, deploying practical solutions like crypto custody, and getting involved in asset tokenization—shows their strategic aim to lead in digital finance. It’s all about better efficiency, stronger security, and broader financial inclusion across borders. 📌 Reference Map: - Paragraph 1 – [1], [2], [3] - Paragraph 2 – [2], [3], [1] - Paragraph 3 – [1], [4], [7] - Paragraph 4 – [5], [6], [1] Source: Noah Wire ServicesVerification / Sources https://www.bbva.com/en/innovation/bbva-partners-with-swift-to-embed-blockchain-technology-in-the-global-financial-system/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data https://www.swift.com/news-events/press-releases/swift-add-blockchain-based-ledger-its-infrastructure-stack-groundbreaking-move-accelerate-and-scale-benefits-digital-finance - SWIFT is integrating a blockchain-based ledger into its infrastructure to enhance digital finance globally. This initiative aims to provide real-time, secure international transactions without intermediaries, operating 24/7. The system will support stablecoins and tokenized financial assets, enabling instant, secure, and traceable transfers across blockchain networks. Collaborating with ConsenSys, SWIFT is developing and testing use cases to assess integration into the global financial system, focusing on business-to-business payments, international remittances, and asset settlement. The goal is to create a financial system where international transactions are as agile and secure as local ones, ensuring interoperability and compliance with SWIFT's governance standards. Financial institutions will be able to offer these services securely, enhancing efficiency and transparency in cross-border payments. https://www.swift.com/news-events/news/swift-introduces-blockchain-based-ledger - SWIFT has introduced a blockchain-based ledger to revolutionize cross-border payments. This shared, secure digital ledger allows banks to record international transactions in real-time, validating them through smart contracts. The system operates 24/7, reducing costs and eliminating intermediaries. It supports transactions with stablecoins and tokenized financial assets, enabling instant, secure, and traceable transfers across blockchain networks. Collaborating with ConsenSys, SWIFT is developing and testing use cases to integrate this technology into the global financial system, focusing on business-to-business payments, international remittances, and asset settlement. The initiative aims to make international financial transactions as agile and secure as local ones, ensuring interoperability and compliance with SWIFT's governance standards. https://www.bbva.com/en/innovation/bbva-partners-with-metaco-to-strengthen-its-cryptoasset-services-in-switzerland/ - BBVA Switzerland has partnered with blockchain company Metaco to enhance its digital asset custody services. This collaboration involves hosting BBVA's digital asset custody service on Metaco's Harmonize™ platform, offering greater operational agility and security. The move allows BBVA to expand its range of services, including trading and custody of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, to meet the needs of institutional clients. Metaco's platform is integrated with Avaloq's Crypto Assets platform and Core Banking system, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. This partnership signifies BBVA's commitment to advancing its crypto strategy and providing robust, compliant platforms for digital asset services. https://www.bbva.com/en/innovation/bbva-joins-launch-of-eu-blockchain-platform/ - BBVA is among the first five banks invited to join a blockchain forum organized by the European Commission in Brussels, leading to the launch of the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (IATBA). This publicly promoted initiative aims to bring together companies interested in exploring the potential of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies to transform digital services globally. The association will work to promote interoperability between these technologies, develop sector-specific guidelines and protocols, and provide information for the implementation of Europe’s blockchain strategy. BBVA's participation underscores its commitment to advancing blockchain technology and its applications in the financial sector. https://www.bbva.com/en/bbva-joins-lyra-network-first-spanish-blockchain-consortium/ - BBVA is a founding member of the Lyra Network, Spain’s first multisectoral consortium focused on creating a cross-cutting, open-code, and neutral platform based on blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLT). The initiative aims to develop a network for new DLT-based services, ensuring compliance with Spanish regulations. The first project of the Lyra Network focuses on developing a digital identification system that can be safely shared by all members, ensuring full compliance with Spanish regulatory requirements. The network is established as a non-profit organization, offering a shared, semi-public platform for developing projects and providing services with necessary identification guarantees. https://www.fintechfutures.com/blockchain-crypto-digital-assets/bbva-taps-ripple-for-crypto-custody-tech - Spanish banking giant BBVA has partnered with Ripple to enhance its digital asset custody services. The agreement involves adopting Ripple's Custody solution, designed to help financial institutions store, manage, and transact with tokenized assets, including cryptocurrencies. BBVA has been active in the crypto space, offering crypto trading and custody services in Switzerland and Turkey. The partnership with Ripple aims to bolster BBVA's crypto-asset trading and custody service, enabling users in Spain to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin and Ethereum directly through its mobile app. This collaboration reflects BBVA's commitment to expanding its digital asset services and leveraging blockchain technology. Noah Fact Check Pro The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We've since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation. Freshness check Score: 8 Notes: The narrative was published on October 3, 2025, and references a press release from September 29, 2025. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is September 29, 2025. The report is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content has not been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The update may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. (cincodias.elpais.com) Quotes check Score: 9 Notes: The direct quotes in the narrative match those found in the press release from September 29, 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found. Source reliability Score: 10 Notes: The narrative originates from a reputable organisation, BBVA, and references a press release from SWIFT, a well-established financial messaging network. This strengthens the credibility of the report. Plausability check Score: 9 Notes: The claims about BBVA's partnership with SWIFT to integrate blockchain technology into the global financial system are plausible and align with recent developments in the financial sector. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a minor concern. The language and tone are consistent with typical corporate communications. Overall assessment Veredict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH Summary: The narrative is fresh, with no significant discrepancies or signs of disinformation. The quotes are original, and the source is reliable. The claims are plausible, with minor concerns about the lack of supporting detail from other reputable outlets.