Prominent British multinational bank Barclays Plc is exploring the development of a blockchain platform to support payments, signaling a deeper push by traditional finance lenders into digital-asset technology. Notably, the move places Barclays alongside global rivals that are racing to modernize payment infrastructure amid rising adoption of blockchain products, especially stablecoin.
Barclays Mulls Blockchain Payments InfrastructureBarclays is exploring new offerings, and the potential use cases for the blockchain platform reportedly include stablecoin-based payments and tokenized deposits. Notably, this move aligns Barclays with peers that have already launched similar initiatives.
Last year, JPMorgan Chase & Co. launched its blockchain-based deposit token, JPM Coin, to serve institutional clients, enabling faster internal transfers and cross-border payments. Meanwhile, BNP Paribas, Bank of America, and Citigroup, alongside six other banks, have united to launch a jointly backed stablecoin.
Stablecoins To Gain Momentum In Mainstream PaymentsWithout a doubt, stablecoins remain one of the most attractive blockchain products to traditional banks. These digital tokens, typically pegged to fiat currencies like the US dollar, are increasingly seen as a disruptive force in global payment.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, stablecoins could account for more than $50 trillion in annual payments by 2030 if present adoption continues to accelerate. Meanwhile, the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is predicting a total stablecoin market cap of $2 trillion by 2028 and $3 trillion by 2030.
At press time, the stablecoin market cap is valued at $315 billion based on data from CoinMarketCap. Tether’s USDT accounts for 60% of these figures with a market cap of $187 billion, followed by Circle’s USDC.
