Former SWIFT Chief Innovation Officer Tom Zschach has dismissed fresh claims that the global financial messaging network plans to integrate or support XRP, pushing back against another wave of speculation circulating on social media.
The claims, shared in multiple posts on X, suggested that SWIFT would work with established public cryptocurrencies such as XRP instead of creating its own digital asset. However, the posts did not reference any official SWIFT announcement or provide evidence of a planned integration.
‼️SWIFT WILL SUPPORT TOKENS LIKE XRP + THEY WILL NOT CREATE THEIR OWN DIGITAL ASSETS‼️
“One area SAIFT will NOT be considering is generating its own digital assets cryptocurrency…this is AT ODDS with with cross-border payment services notably Ripple whose digital currency XRP… pic.twitter.com/dkcs26Z2Mf
— SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) July 9, 2026
Responding to the speculation, Zschach described the alleged XRP integration as “not happening.” He also questioned the claims by asking an AI assistant whether SWIFT currently uses XRP, reinforcing that there is no official confirmation linking the token to the network.
Why are XRP and SWIFT being linked again?
The latest speculation followed renewed discussions around SWIFT’s blockchain initiatives and its growing work with tokenized assets.
Earlier reports suggested that XRP could still be accessible through some payment providers connected to SWIFT, but the messaging network has never required the token as part of its infrastructure.
Zschach has previously challenged similar claims, arguing that banks are unlikely to rely on a volatile public cryptocurrency for settlement. He has also disputed suggestions that Ripple could replace SWIFT’s role in global payments.
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What is SWIFT actually building?
SWIFT is developing a blockchain-based shared ledger designed to support cross-border payments using tokenized commercial bank deposits.
The company announced in March that it had completed the design phase of the project and had begun building a minimum viable product. The platform is expected to process live transactions in 2026 while participating banks continue testing different settlement methods and digital assets.
So far, SWIFT has not identified XRP as a settlement asset. Instead, the project is focused on regulated bank-issued digital assets and improving interoperability between traditional financial systems and blockchain networks.
The organization has also been working with banks and technology providers to explore how existing SWIFT messages can trigger transactions across distributed ledger platforms.
Do Ripple’s banking ties mean XRP is part of the project?
Speculation intensified after SWIFT launched a blockchain payment pilot involving 17 financial institutions, including Standard Chartered and UBS. Both banks have separate business relationships with Ripple, leading some market participants to suggest XRP could play a hidden role in the pilot.
However, those partnerships do not mean SWIFT is using Ripple’s technology or XRP. Banks frequently work with multiple payment providers and blockchain platforms at the same time.
Ripple has also changed its strategy in recent years. Rather than positioning itself solely as a replacement for SWIFT, the company has expanded its focus to regulated payment services, custody solutions and its RLUSD stablecoin.
While XRP remains a bridge asset in some Ripple payment products, the company can also settle transactions using RLUSD and other payment options.
For now, neither SWIFT’s blockchain project nor its latest banking pilot confirms any integration with XRP, while Zschach’s comments directly reject the latest claims circulating online.
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