Better payments for a 24/7 world
This month, we explore what’s next in payments, interoperability and innovation. Let’s dive in.
Better payments for a 24/7 world
June 2026 edition | Read time: 10 minutes
Explore how the industry is improving the cross-border payment experience through greater speed, transparency and predictability across major remittance corridors, while laying the groundwork for a future of 24/7 value transfer through interoperable tokenised deposits.
Perspective
Interoperability has become a buzzword – here’s what it means for tokenised deposits
Interoperability is increasingly central to discussions on tokenisation, yet its practical implications remain unclear. In the latest from Perspectives, our thought leadership series, Jack Pouderoyen, Head of Digital Asset Strategy at Swift, explores what interoperability means in the context of tokenised deposits and why it is critical to scaling globally.
Without interoperability, tokenised deposits risk remaining confined to intra-institutional use cases that do not scale.
Unlocking their potential depends on enabling institutions to coordinate transactions and manage liquidity seamlessly across environments. Interoperability is what allows tokenised deposits to move from isolated innovation to a scalable, widely usable form of money.
Highlights
The trends, insights and actions shaping payments
Unlocking frictionless cross-border payments
Cross-border payments are getting faster, but the biggest delays still happen in the 'last mile' before funds reach the beneficiary. Swift’s new Payment Optimisation Playbook identifies the key frictions slowing payments and outlines practical actions to improve speed, transparency and efficiency across the global ecosystem. Discover the findings and explore the path to frictionless cross-border payments.
Unstructured addresses: what does this mean for you?
The move away from unstructured addresses will impact financial institutions, market infrastructures and corporates alike. Early preparation is essential to ensure compliance, transparency and uninterrupted payment processing. Download the quick guide relevant to your organization.
Swift Hackathon 2026 is now open for registrations
As digital asset adoption accelerates, the industry needs standards that enable secure, scalable and interoperable solutions. This year’s Hackathon invites teams to tackle real-world business and technical challenges shaping the future of digital finance. Think you have what it takes? Register by 22 June for the chance to present your solution at Sibos 2026 in Miami.
How are cross-border payments evolving across Africa?
Swift’s latest white paper explores the progress being made across Africa’s payments landscape, highlighting faster payment processing, growing intra-African trade flows and the remaining frictions that continue to impact end-to-end speed. The findings provide a data-driven view of where the industry stands today - and where further collaboration is needed to unlock greater efficiency and scale. Download the white paper to explore the latest insights.
Experience is the new benchmark
See how markets like India and Vietnam are delivering faster, more transparent and predictable payments at scale. Read now.
Stay ahead with the latest courses on Swift Smart
Explore two new learning opportunities covering key industry priorities: the G20 roadmap for cross-border payments and the operational excellence principles that underpin Swift’s reliability and performance. Whether you're looking to deepen your industry knowledge or strengthen your expertise, these courses can help you stay informed and prepared. Log in to Swift Smart and start learning today.
Leadership insights
Interoperability in action: connecting banks, wallets and the future of payments
Across recent engagements in Asia, Europe and North America, Swift leaders have reinforced a clear message: the future of payments will be defined by interoperability, customer experience and the ability to connect multiple payment ecosystems seamlessly.
Meeting with senior leaders from major financial institutions, market infrastructures and public sector organisations in Beijing and Hong Kong, Javier Pérez-Tasso and Rosemary Stone explored the industry's next phase of innovation. Discussions focused on the future of cross-border payments, the Swift payment scheme, blockchain innovation and the importance of continued industry collaboration to drive progress at global scale.
A key theme emerging across industry discussions is that the future is not about choosing between traditional payment rails and new technologies. Speaking at the Digital Banking Conference in Barcelona, Chief Product Officer Thomas Delaet highlighted that while most cross-border payments already arrive within minutes, customer expectations continue to evolve. Success will depend on combining today's infrastructure with the programmability and 24/7 capabilities of emerging technologies.
This vision was brought to life at MO·MENTS 2026, where Thomas Delaet joined Ant International's Jacques Xu to discuss Swift's bank-to-wallet solution. Together, Swift and its partners have designed a model that enables digital wallets to operate seamlessly with the Swift payments scheme, combining transparent tracking, status updates, real-time crediting and clear service-level expectations. The ambition is simple: to make sending money across borders as easy and predictable as making a domestic payment, regardless of the destination, institution or payment endpoint.
Across these conversations, one conclusion stood out: the industry's next chapter will be built on collaboration. By connecting existing financial systems with emerging digital ecosystems, the focus remains on delivering faster, more transparent and more seamless experiences for customers around the world.
In case you missed it
Transforming exceptions and investigations
The next phase of the ISO 20022 journey is underway. With new requirements for payment cancellations and exceptions and investigations (E&I) approaching in 2026 and 2027, financial institutions should start preparing now. Learn how Swift’s Case Management solution can help support a smoother transition to ISO 20022.
Did you know?
60+
That's the number of banks already supporting the Swift payments scheme framework. By establishing a set of enforceable rules, the scheme is designed to give customers greater certainty, transparency and peace of mind when sending money across borders.
Upcoming events
28 Sept-2 Oct – As AI reshapes finance, connectivity, interoperability and resilience are becoming essential. Sibos 2026 Miami brings industry leaders together to shape digital finance for an AI-driven global economy. Register now.