Banks Accelerated Cross-Border Payment Speeds
Financial institutions have integrated digital networks to meet rising demand for real-time international settlements.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Financial Services
Live Poll
Do you expect international money transfers to become faster and cheaper in the coming years?
Banks are updating payment infrastructure by merging traditional correspondent banking with blockchain and fast-payment networks to improve transaction times. These shifts follow industry pressure to mirror the speed and transparency of domestic payment systems.
Why it matters
Business operators face ongoing pressure for faster international cash flow as institutions scramble to meet global efficiency targets. Shorter settlement times directly impact working capital management and supply chain finance.
In 2025, 54.6 percent of wholesale and 35.4 percent of retail cross-border payments were credited within one hour. Banks are working toward a 75 percent target by the end of 2027 to align with G20 goals.
The players
Deutsche Bank
A global universal bank providing commercial and investment banking services across international markets.
Financial Stability Board
An international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system to ensure stability.
DBS
A multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Singapore with extensive reach across Asian markets.
Partior
A blockchain-based clearing and settlement network designed to facilitate real-time interbank value exchange.
The details
Banks are embedding blockchain settlement architecture and domestic fast-payment rails directly into their internal infrastructure. For instance, Deutsche Bank utilized a partnership with Partior in September 2025 to execute a euro-denominated blockchain payment. This allows institutions like DBS, which currently accesses seven currency-clearing systems in Asia, to bypass slower traditional manual clearing channels.
Timeline
In September 2025, Deutsche Bank completed its first euro-denominated blockchain payment.
During 2025, the Financial Stability Board measured current global payment speeds.
By the end of 2027, the Financial Stability Board aims for 75 percent of payments to be credited within one hour.
Market Landscape
These infrastructure upgrades follow the pattern of implementation set by the G20 cross-border payment roadmap. While banks are making technical progress, current data suggests a significant gap between existing speeds and the target goals mandated for 2027.
Operators should review their banking partners' progress in digital settlement capabilities to identify potential improvements in cash cycle timing. In the medium term, expect shifts in fee structures as banks pass on the costs or savings of these new clearing architectures.
The takeaway
The move toward real-time international settlement is a strategic shift to reduce capital drag, though global performance remains behind official targets. Businesses should monitor their banks' capability to integrate with newer settlement rails when negotiating transaction fees and service levels.
Further reading
For more on evolving payment technologies, see the Financial Services section.
Live Poll
Do you expect international money transfers to become faster and cheaper in the coming years?
