SWIFT to explore blockchain in global payments innovation initiative

Brussels, 10 December 2015 - SWIFT announces a global payments innovation initiative to dramatically improve the customer experience in correspondent banking by increasing the speed, transparency and predictability of cross-border payments.

Designed in collaboration with the industry, the initiative will initially focus on a business-to-business payments service supported by participating banks in early 2016.

The new service will help corporates grow their international business, improve supplier relationships, and achieve greater treasury efficiencies. It will enable corporates to receive an enhanced payments service directly from their banks, with the following key features:
- Same day use of funds
- Transparency and predictability of fees
- End-to-end payments tracking
- Transfer of rich payment information.

It will operate on the basis of ‘business rules' captured in multilateral service level agreements (SLAs) between participating banks. The innovative new service is designed to address end-customer needs, without compromising banks' abilities to meet their compliance obligations, market, credit and liquidity risk requirements. It will operate on SWIFT's secure and resilient global platform; and participation will be open to any supervised financial institution that is a member of SWIFT and adheres to its business rules.

Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO, SWIFT said: "Correspondent banking serves the industry with millions of secure cross-border payments day in, day out; with this initiative we are building on those strengths, enabling banks to provide distinctive cross-border payments services and providing real benefits to end customers. This is a critical step in cross-border payments innovation."

Yawar Shah, Chairman, SWIFT said: "This global payments innovation initiative is a reflection of the strength of the SWIFT community and its ability to collaborate and innovate, and deliver a new benchmark in cross-border payments."

Following the pilot focused on cross-border payments for corporates, SWIFT aims to incorporate additional innovations and deploy new technologies as part of the global payments innovation initiative. SWIFT will work together with the industry to define additional service level agreements that will cater for other client groups, further reducing the costs and frictions arising from compliance, liquidity and processing efficiency considerations involved in cross-border payments.

Wim Raymaekers, Head of Banking Markets, SWIFT, adds: "This initiative is an important first step in driving cross-border payments innovation. As part of the initiative we will continue to develop new and enhanced services, utilising SWIFT's Innotribe initiative to further engage the FinTech community and explore the application of innovations such as real time payment status tracking, the use of peer-to-peer messaging and blockchain technology."

The pilot of the new initiative will start from early 2016.
To join the global payments innovation initiative, or to find out more, visit swift.com/gpi.

About SWIFT
SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative that provides the communications platform, products and services to connect more than 10,800 banking organisations, securities institutions and corporate customers in more than 200 countries and territories. SWIFT enables its users to exchange automated, standardised financial information securely and reliably, thereby lowering costs, reducing operational risk and eliminating operational inefficiencies. SWIFT also brings the financial community together to work collaboratively to shape market practice, define standards and debate issues of mutual interest.
www.swift.com/

Chaineum est partenaire des rubriques blockchain de votre quotidien Finyear.
Pour lire tous les articles Finyear dédiés Blockchain rendez-vous sur www.finyear.com/search/Blockchain/

Chaineum est partenaire de la conférence "Blockchain Leaders" de février prochain éditée par Finyear.
Pour participer à la conférence inscrivez-vous sur www.bl0ckcha1n.com

Chaineum est bâtisseur de compagnies autonomes et décentralisées (incubateur new generation de projets blockchain).
Vous êtes investisseur, porteur de projet, développeur ? Rejoignez Chaineum
Vous êtes CEO, commercial, etc... et vous cherchez à rejoindre une équipe pour développer un projet ? Rejoignez Chaineum : nous avons des startups qui recherchent leur(s) futur(s) associé(s).

Lisez gratuitement :

Le quotidien Finyear :
- Finyear Quotidien

La newsletter quotidienne :
- Finyear Newsletter
Recevez chaque matin par mail la newsletter Finyear, une sélection quotidienne des meilleures infos et expertises de la finance d’entreprise et de la finance d'affaires.

Les 6 lettres mensuelles digitales :
- Le Directeur Financier
- Le Trésorier
- Le Credit Manager
- The FinTecher
- The Blockchainer
- Le Capital Investisseur

Le magazine trimestriel digital :
- Finyear Magazine

Un seul formulaire d'abonnement pour recevoir un avis de publication pour une ou plusieurs lettres