# Settlement Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Settlement", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

Chainlink Smart Collateral Tech Selected for DTCC Financial Infrastructure Trial

Chainlink's Smart Collateral technology has been chosen for a financial infrastructure trial by the DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation), focusing on collateral management and related processes. The announcement, part of a discovery pack that also referenced a Pangea foreign exchange settlement trial context, signals an expansion of Chainlink's role in institutional infrastructure. The report emphasizes this is a trial phase, not a completed commercial rollout or a finalized multi-trillion-dollar deal. In a market with thin liquidity and fragile Bitcoin price direction, such verified ecosystem updates provide a tangible data point for traders, separate from speculative narratives. The importance lies in the specific, checkable signal it offers regarding institutional adoption and on-chain activity. Readers are cautioned against overstating the trial's scope. The next steps for verification are official announcements from the DTCC and Chainlink's own developer materials to confirm the setup as a developing market signal.

bitcoinist06/28 18:36

Chainlink Smart Collateral Tech Selected for DTCC Financial Infrastructure Trial

bitcoinist06/28 18:36

Chainlink Powering TradFi Future? DTCC AppChain and Project Pangea Put LINK Middleware in Focus

Chainlink's role as middleware for traditional finance (TradFi) infrastructure is highlighted by two key developments: its Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE) being selected for the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation's (DTCC) Collateral AppChain, targeted for Q4 2026, and its involvement in Project Pangea, a foreign exchange settlement initiative involving 50 banks. The story emphasizes that this represents integration with, not replacement of, legacy banking systems. For crypto markets, this provides a test case to gauge whether current moves are driven by genuine adoption or speculation. Traders should watch for further official confirmations and liquidity responses, as the narrative's sustainability will depend on broader market structure and follow-through beyond initial headlines.

bitcoinist06/27 22:51

Chainlink Powering TradFi Future? DTCC AppChain and Project Pangea Put LINK Middleware in Focus

bitcoinist06/27 22:51

Caleb & Brown Integrates Ripple Payments to Speed Up Client Fiat Settlements

Caleb & Brown integrated Ripple Payments to accelerate client U.S. dollar withdrawals, positioning blockchain-based settlement as a faster alternative to traditional bank wires. The development is notable for highlighting potential real-world adoption in the B2B payments space. The article clarifies that the service does not require customers to hold XRP specifically. For traders, this news intersects with broader market questions about whether current crypto moves are driven by genuine usage or short-term speculation. The story's impact may depend on follow-up data confirming its scale and whether it translates into sustained market liquidity and attention beyond a weekend narrative.

bitcoinist06/27 19:20

Caleb & Brown Integrates Ripple Payments to Speed Up Client Fiat Settlements

bitcoinist06/27 19:20

Airwallex's Pivot: From Dismissing Stablecoins a Year Ago to Making High-Profile Investments Today

Airwallex, a major cross-border payments fintech, has made a notable strategic shift by leading a seed round investment in Metal, a tokenized financial settlement network. This move is significant given that Airwallex founder Jack Zhang was a prominent critic of stablecoins just a year prior, arguing they failed to reduce costs for mainstream currency corridors and lacked clear utility. The investment targets Metal, a Layer-1 blockchain designed for the tokenization and settlement of assets like stocks, bonds, and stablecoins, aiming for the institutional market. Metal's team includes veterans from Ren Protocol and Meta's Diem project. For Airwallex, this partnership integrates tokenized finance into its global payments network, providing a new settlement layer. Despite his company's investment, Zhang maintains a distinction, stating his skepticism toward "cryptocurrencies" remains, while classifying regulated, asset-backed stablecoins as a separate category. This stance reflects a broader trend of traditional finance (TradFi) cautiously engaging with crypto infrastructure. Companies like Stripe, Mastercard, and major banks are similarly exploring stablecoin payments and tokenization networks, recognizing their potential in emerging markets and 24/7 settlement. The article concludes that Airwallex's investment is less a change of belief and more a strategic necessity to secure a position in the evolving landscape of digital asset settlement, where stablecoins are becoming a key interface for global finance.

marsbit06/26 11:12

Airwallex's Pivot: From Scorning Stablecoins a Year Ago to High-Profile Capital Influx Today

Airwallex, a major cross-border fintech company, has co-led a seed investment round in Metal, a tokenized financial settlement network. This move is notable because Airwallex's founder, Jack Zhang, was a vocal critic of stablecoins just a year ago, arguing they failed to reduce costs in mainstream currency corridors and lacked clear utility. Metal is a Layer-1 blockchain designed for institutional-grade tokenized asset settlement, targeting a multi-trillion dollar market. Its team includes veterans from Ren Protocol and Meta's Diem project. For Airwallex, this investment integrates tokenized products—from stablecoins to securities—into its global payment network, blending its traditional compliance and FX capabilities with blockchain efficiency. While Zhang maintains his skepticism towards cryptocurrencies, he now distinguishes asset-backed stablecoins from them. His shift reflects a broader trend of traditional finance giants like Stripe, Mastercard, and JPMorgan strategically embracing stablecoins and tokenization for emerging markets and next-generation settlement infrastructure. For Airwallex, investing in Metal is less about a change in belief and more about securing a strategic position for the future of finance.

链捕手06/26 11:01

Baillie Gifford Tokenized Bond Fund Adds To Solana And Ethereum RWA Race

Baillie Gifford, a major traditional asset manager, is reportedly planning a regulated tokenized bond fund utilizing public blockchain infrastructure from Solana and Ethereum, with custody support from BNY. This development underscores the growing institutional trend of tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs), particularly bonds, which are seen as a natural fit due to their potential for improved settlement efficiency, transparency, and programmable distribution. The move highlights the competition between blockchain platforms like Ethereum, valued for institutional familiarity, and Solana, known for speed and low costs. The story reinforces tokenized funds as a key convergence point for traditional finance and crypto, driven by practical infrastructure benefits rather than speculation. While not an isolated price catalyst, it provides another data point in the broader market shift towards regulated, blockchain-based financial products.

bitcoinist06/25 21:02

Baillie Gifford Tokenized Bond Fund Adds To Solana And Ethereum RWA Race

bitcoinist06/25 21:02

SpaceX, AI, and XRP: Why the Next Wealth Transfer Might Be Different?

The article posits that the global economy is transitioning into a new phase of infrastructure investment. Capital, facing slowing traditional growth engines, is flowing towards emerging foundational systems. This includes space infrastructure (exemplified by SpaceX), AI computing power, satellite networks, data centers, and global payment systems. A key driver is a potential new commodity supercycle fueled by industrial demand from these sectors. Concurrently, the role of blockchain is evolving from speculative assets to a critical settlement layer for the future economy. Digital assets like XRP and XLM, focused on payments and interoperability, are highlighted as potential rails for cross-border settlement, tokenized assets, and machine-to-machine (AI Agent) transactions. The narrative connects figures like Ripple's Jed McCaleb to space ventures, suggesting convergence. The argument emphasizes a shift from speculative narratives to utility-driven value. As AI and space commerce generate new economic activity, and regulatory clarity improves, blockchain networks may underpin real-time value transfer. The conclusion urges investors to consider which networks will form the backbone of this integrated next-generation economic infrastructure.

marsbit06/21 06:12

SpaceX, AI, and XRP: Why the Next Wealth Transfer Might Be Different?

marsbit06/21 06:12

Ethereum Q1 2026 Report: Fees Decline, Users and Transaction Volume Hit New Highs

Ethereum Q1 2026 Report: Fees Down, Users & Transactions Hit New Highs Token Terminal's Q1 2026 report on Ethereum presents a pivotal development: the network achieved record highs in monthly active users (13.2M, +85.9% YoY), total transactions (200.4M, +81.5% YoY), and throughput (25.78 TPS), while transaction fees on the mainnet plummeted by 47.9% quarter-over-quarter. This shift is attributed to the network's strategic move into a "low fees for scale" phase, exemplified by the Fusaka upgrade which increased data capacity and lowered block space costs, releasing pent-up demand (a manifestation of Jevons's Paradox). The report highlights a core narrative shift for Ethereum: from a DeFi-centric blockchain to a global financial settlement layer. It maintains a dominant position in tokenized assets, holding majority market shares among top chains in stablecoins (61.8%), tokenized funds (73.0%), and tokenized commodities (84.0%). Growth in tokenized funds (+73.1% YoY) and commodities (+325.9% YoY) was particularly strong, driven by institutions like BlackRock and JPMorgan entering the space. Contrasting these usage gains, several USD-denominated value metrics declined in Q1: fully diluted market cap fell 30.3% QoQ, total value locked (TVL) dropped 11.0%, and ecosystem transaction volume decreased 24.0%. The report interprets this as Ethereum prioritizing long-term network expansion and cementing its role as the default settlement layer for finance over short-term fee capture. The commentary from Etherealize argues that, much like the early internet, Ethereum's open, permissionless model is poised to win over closed alternatives as institutional tokenization accelerates.

marsbit06/20 06:12

Ethereum Q1 2026 Report: Fees Decline, Users and Transaction Volume Hit New Highs

marsbit06/20 06:12

Joseph Chalom: Ethereum is Becoming the "Settlement Layer of Trust" for Global Finance

In a speech titled "The Industrialization of Trust," Sharplink CEO Joseph Chalom (former BlackRock digital assets head) discussed the future transformation of global finance. Drawing from 20 years at BlackRock, where he led the launch of Bitcoin/ETH ETFs and tokenized funds, Chalom highlighted the immense hidden costs of establishing trust in traditional finance—estimated at over $9.3 trillion annually in the US alone due to fragmented systems, multi-day settlements, and countless reconciliations. He argued that Ethereum is emerging as the global financial "settlement layer for trust," with its robust, decentralized infrastructure securing over $300 billion in on-chain assets and most stablecoins and tokenized assets. The future, he stated, will be driven by three accelerating pillars: stablecoins (evolving beyond crypto gateways to become efficient cross-border payment rails), tokenized assets (enabling 24/7 trading and reshaping capital markets), and DeFi (providing automated, accessible financial services). A potential game-changer, Chalom added, is the fourth pillar: "Agentic Finance," where AI agents autonomously execute programmable financial transactions via smart contracts and stablecoins. He envisions individuals soon having AI-powered "CFOs in their pockets" to optimize idle capital and manage tokenized portfolios. This shift, facilitated by Ethereum's trustless settlement, could multiply on-chain transaction volume 1000x within a year, moving finance toward a seamless, digitized future.

marsbit06/18 07:03

Joseph Chalom: Ethereum is Becoming the "Settlement Layer of Trust" for Global Finance

marsbit06/18 07:03

Rain Valuation Approaches $20 Billion: The Battle for U-Cards Extends to Rewards Systems

Rain, a stablecoin payments infrastructure company, is shifting the competitive focus for U Cards from simple issuance to user retention and repeated usage. On June 15, Rain launched "Rain Rewards," an embedded loyalty program capability within its card-issuing infrastructure. This allows partner businesses—like fintech platforms and neobanks—to configure branded loyalty points, earning rules, redemptions, and merchant promotions directly within their card products. The system, built from the 2025 acquisition of Uptop, ensures points are only issued upon final transaction settlement, preventing liabilities from refunds. Trials, such as with Avalanche Card, reportedly boosted spending by 25% among enrolled users. Founded by Farooq Malik and Charles Yoo-Naut, Rain evolved from a tool for managing Web3 company expenses into a full-stack enterprise platform. It is a Principal Member of Visa and Mastercard, enabling partners to issue stablecoin-backed cards and wallets while leveraging traditional payment networks. Notably, the popular U Card Plasma One is issued by Rain under Visa's authority. Rain also integrates with Visa's stablecoin settlement pilot, using USDC for network settlement. Rain's rapid funding reflects growing institutional interest in stablecoin payment infrastructure. It raised a $245 million Series A in March 2025, a $58 million Series B in August 2025, and a $250 million Series C in January of this year, reaching a $19.5 billion valuation. Annualized transaction volume exceeds $3 billion, serving over 200 partners including Western Union and Nuvei. Beyond cards, Rain is expanding into programmable payments. Its June 2026 "Agent Control Layer" allows businesses to set spending rules—like merchant categories, amounts, and frequency—for AI agents before transactions occur. This positions Rain not as a single product but as an operating system for stablecoin payments, handling everything from card issuance and wallet management to rewards, on/off-ramps, and automated compliance. The goal is to enable seamless, often invisible, real-world spending of on-chain assets.

Foresight News06/17 02:02

Rain Valuation Approaches $20 Billion: The Battle for U-Cards Extends to Rewards Systems