Barclays is reportedly exploring the development of a blockchain-based platform to support payments, tokenised deposits and potentially stablecoins as major banks modernise settlement infrastructure.
The London-based lender has issued requests for information to technology providers and could select a shortlist of vendors as early as April 2026, according to people familiar with the matter cited by Bloomberg.
The initiative would position Barclays alongside global peers investing in distributed ledger technology to accelerate payments and settlement, particularly as regulatory clarity improves in the United States and Europe.
In January 2026, Barclays invested in Ubyx, a US-based clearing platform focused on tokenised deposits and regulated stablecoins, signalling deeper engagement with digital money infrastructure.
Ryan Hayward, Barclays’ head of digital assets and strategic investments, said specialist infrastructure will be critical to improving interoperability across blockchains and wallets, and following the announcement the Barclays share price was unchanged at $N/A.