CaixaBank takes part in advancing SWIFT’s new cross-border retail payments scheme

• The new model is designed to offer a faster, more transparent and more predictable customer experience    
• CaixaBank, together with a group of international banks, will process payments under the new scheme before the end of the year, ensuring clarity on costs, full delivery of the amount sent and end-to-end traceability for consumers and SMEs
• The gradual rollout across additional markets will help advance the G20’s objectives on international payments

CaixaBank will take part in the first phase of the rollout of SWIFT’s new cross-border retail payments scheme, a global initiative that will transform the experience of consumers and small businesses when sending and receiving money between participating countries. With the development of the new scheme, the bank's customers will benefit from greater speed, predictability and transparency in their transactions.

CaixaBank will begin processing payments under the new rules before the end of 2026, enabling transactions with significantly faster execution times, full delivery of the amount sent, complete payment traceability and certainty regarding payment costs. 

A strategic initiative aligned with the G20’s objectives

SWIFT announced this project in September 2025 with the aim of structurally enhancing the experience of international payments and reinforcing progress towards the standards defined by the G20. Currently, 75% of payments processed through SWIFT are completed in under 10 minutes, a level of performance that already exceeds the target set by the international body. 

However, challenges remain in the final stage of the process, particularly at the domestic level within each market, where regulatory factors, local practices and infrastructure capabilities may affect the consistency and speed of settlement. Reducing this “last leg” — which accounts for 80% of total processing time — is a key objective of the new framework.

Infrastructure innovation for a more agile global payments model

The new scheme is part of SWIFT’s innovation strategy, combining enhancements to the traditional payments layer with the development of infrastructure based on advanced technologies. In parallel, SWIFT is deploying a distributed ledger infrastructure based on blockchain aimed at enabling real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments and facilitating the transfer of regulated tokenised value through its secure network, which connects more than 11,500 banks and financial institutions across over 200 countries and territories.