Swift Unveils Retail Payment Rulebook and Onchain Pilot with Linea

Swift moved this week to reshape the plumbing of international payments, unveiling a two‑pronged effort that aims to speed and standardize retail crossborder transfers while separately testing blockchain‑based interbank messaging and settlement. In late September 2025 the global financial messaging network said it has launched a new rulebook for retail payments with more than 30 early‑adopter banks and is piloting onchain messaging on the Linea Ethereum layer two platform with more than a dozen institutions, including BNP Paribas and BNY Mellon.

The retail initiative sets binding standards meant to make consumer and small‑business transfers as fast and predictable as domestic payments, Swift said. New rules will require upfront disclosure of fees and foreign exchange rates, guarantee full‑value delivery so funds are not reduced en route, and provide end‑to‑end visibility that lets customers track transactions in real time. Swift noted that 75 percent of payments on its network already reach destination banks within 10 minutes and said the new framework aims to address the remaining domestic “last mile” frictions that produce delays. The company estimates the measures could...