Banks Move Toward 24/7 On-Chain Finance as Franklin Templeton and SWIFT Outline Blockchain Future

TheNewsCryptoPublicado em 2026-02-11Última atualização em 2026-02-11

Resumo

Top executives at Consensus Hong Kong 2026 outlined a future where banking operates 24/7 using blockchain technology. Franklin Templeton is focusing on tokenizing money market funds to enable round-the-clock trading and reduce administrative costs. SWIFT is developing a system to convert traditional bank balances into digital tokens to expedite settlements and eliminate cutoff times. While tokenized finance remains small compared to traditional markets, the industry is building early infrastructure. Key barriers like regulation and private key security need addressing for broader adoption. The future is expected to be hybrid, blending decentralized services with traditional intermediaries, as major financial institutions push for secure, continuous blockchain-based systems.

Speaking at the Consensus Hong Kong 2026, top executives from the traditional finance and crypto firms said that the future of banking will run 24/7 with assets issued directly on blockchain. Their message was clear that the financial system could soon be working continuously without shutting down.

Franklin Templeton said that it will be focusing on the money market funds in the blockchain infrastructure. By putting funds on the blockchain, they can allow the investors to buy or sell anytime, which also reduces the paperwork and admin costs. An executive explained that taking the existing financial products and making them cheaper and easier using blockchain.

From the Swift side, it is working on ways banks can turn normal account balances into the digital token. Their goal is to expedite the settlements and have no cutoff times. Executives say that payments in Swift are quick, but they want instant availability at any time.

Traditional Finance Moves Toward 24/7 On-Chain

Despite the rapid growth in tokenized finance, it is relatively small when compared to the traditional markets. While there are a billion dollars in the stablecoin and a billion in the tokenized securities, this is very much minor compared with the trillions managed across the global banking system. So executives called it an early infrastructure.

Two barriers, such as regulations and security, are repeatedly coming up in the discussions. Banks and institutions need clear rules about accounting and compliance. Crypto requires managing the private keys. For institutions, managing the private keys and ensuring access control should meet the enterprise standards for broader adoption.

Speakers believe that the future will be hybrid, with some of the services becoming decentralized and some remaining intermediate. The tone of the conversation shows a clear sign that big finance wants blockchain to run 24/7 with more security.

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Perguntas relacionadas

QWhat is the main vision for the future of banking as outlined by executives at Consensus Hong Kong 2026?

AThe main vision is that the future of banking will run 24/7 with assets issued directly on blockchain, allowing the financial system to work continuously without shutting down.

QWhat specific financial product is Franklin Templeton focusing on in the blockchain infrastructure?

AFranklin Templeton is focusing on money market funds in the blockchain infrastructure.

QWhat is SWIFT working on to improve the banking system?

ASWIFT is working on ways for banks to turn normal account balances into digital tokens to expedite settlements and eliminate cutoff times, aiming for instant availability of payments at any time.

QWhat are the two main barriers mentioned that are hindering broader adoption of on-chain finance?

AThe two main barriers are regulations and security, including the need for clear rules on accounting and compliance, and the challenge of managing private keys to meet enterprise standards.

QHow does the current size of tokenized finance compare to the traditional global market?

ATokenized finance, with about a billion dollars in stablecoins and a billion in tokenized securities, is relatively very small compared to the trillions of dollars managed across the global banking system.

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