• Ripple’s report: 97% of surveyed finance professionals expect blockchain to revolutionize faster payments in the next three years, showing its transformative potential in finance.
• Embracing blockchain may save financial institutions $10B in cross-border payments by 2030, supported by Juniper Research, emphasizing significant cost-saving benefits.

In a recent report published by Ripple, the digital payments network that has been at the forefront of blockchain adoption. A staggering 97% of 300 surveyed finance professionals across 45 countries expressed their firm belief that blockchain technology will play a crucial role in facilitating faster payment systems within the next three years.

The report, conducted in collaboration with the United States Faster Payments Council (FPC) on July 29, sheds light on the transformative potential of blockchain in the financial industry.

According to the report, blockchain’s impact goes beyond faster payments. Financial institutions have the potential to save approximately $10 billion in cross-border payment costs by the year 2030 if they embrace the power of blockchain technology. This projection, supported by fintech analysis company Juniper Research, showcases the immense cost-saving benefits of blockchain in global transactions.

Juniper Research supports this notion, pointing to blockchain’s potential to significantly increase savings for financial institutions conducting cross-border transactions — an estimated $10 billion by 2030.

Among the participants in the survey, over half agreed that the most significant advantage of cryptocurrencies is their potential to reduce costs, both domestically and internationally. A noteworthy 50% of respondents highlighted lower payment costs as the primary benefit of adopting cryptocurrencies, demonstrating the growing awareness of the cost-cutting possibilities in the financial landscape.

Growing Cross-Border Payments In The E-commerce Era

As the e-commerce landscape expands, businesses worldwide increasingly prioritize international markets. Consequently, cross-border payments are projected to experience significant growth in the coming years. The report revealed an anticipated surge in international payment transactions, with global cross-border payment flows expected to reach a staggering $156 trillion by 2030, driven by a robust 5% compound annual growth rate.

While the survey displayed an overwhelming belief in the potential of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, there was a split opinion among participants regarding the timeline for widespread merchant adoption of digital currency payments.

Of those surveyed, 50% were confident that most merchants would embrace crypto payments within the next three years. However, there were varying levels of certainty about whether this transformation would occur within the following year.

The report also delved into regional perspectives, providing exciting insights into the varying confidence levels across different areas. Participants from the Middle East and African regions demonstrated the highest confidence level, with an impressive 27% believing that most merchants would accept crypto as a payment method within the following year.

Conversely, leaders in the Asia-Pacific region were the least confident, with only 13% projecting the same timeframe for adoption. Among the entire global sample of 300 surveyed participants, 17% thought such widespread adoption could occur within the upcoming year.

BIS Research Highlights Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC)

In addition to Ripple’s report, research from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) also sheds light on the future of digital currencies. A BIS report published on July 10 surveyed 86 central banks from October to December 2022, 93% of central banks are actively researching Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The report predicts that up to 24 CBDCs could be circulating by the next six years, with a potential of 15 retail and nine wholesale CBDCs in circulation by 2030.

Ripple’s report and the growing interest in CBDCs underscore the escalating momentum of blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption in the financial world. As financial institutions recognize the transformative potential and cost-saving benefits, the blockchain revolution will likely shape the future of cross-border payments and financial transactions worldwide.