Chainlink’s growing role in SWIFT’s blockchain integration is drawing comparisons to XRP’s long-standing ambitions in the same sector.
Reports have disclosed that SWIFT already uses Chainlink technology to connect more than 11,000 banks to public and private blockchains, a move some believe gives Chainlink an edge in real-world adoption.
Chainlink’s Ties With Global Finance
Supporters point out that Chainlink’s work now spans major financial players such as the DTCC, Mastercard, central banks, and top asset managers.
The collaboration with SWIFT is central to this progress, enabling data and transaction flows between multiple blockchains.
When asked which blockchain would carry these transactions, Chainlink advocate Zack Rynes said any of the hundreds available could serve that role, leaving the door open for XRP and the XRP Ledger (XRPL) to participate.
He did point out though that, in reality, Swift and Chainlink have been collaborating to link up 11,500 Swift-affiliated lenders to both public and private blockchain networks.
People claim $XRP will replace Swift, when in reality Swift is working with @Chainlink to connect 11,500 Swift member banks to any public/private blockchain
There’s a million examples of this kind of disconnect between narrative and reality$LINK = institutional coin pic.twitter.com/nt0XXtleV9
— Zach Rynes | CLG (@ChainLinkGod) August 10, 2025
Some XRP backers have pushed back, suggesting that outside criticism is a sign the token is nearing a major breakthrough.
Rynes disagreed, arguing that his stance comes from the belief that Chainlink’s $14 billion market cap is too low compared to XRP’s $188 billion, especially given Chainlink’s institutional achievements.
Different Views From Ripple Supporters
The debate also drew in Dom Kwok, co-founder of EasyA, who responded to a remark from influencer Ansem that Chainlink is what Ripple would be “if it actually worked.”
Kwok said he has personally seen Ripple’s technology used in real-world cases, but has yet to see Chainlink deployed in the same way or meet developers actively building with it.
He noted that time spent directly with builders often reveals which technology is working at scale.
Chainlink’s partnership with SWIFT dates back to 2016 but has accelerated recently.
i have actually seen @ripple’s tech work in real life.
i’ve never seen @chainlink work in real life, nor have i met anyone building with chainlink either.
when you spend every day on the ground with developers you understand what tech works much better than an influencer who’s… https://t.co/0SIbExpvPf
— Dom | EasyA (@dom_kwok) August 10, 2025
Both announced a proof-of-concept at the most recent Chainlink SmartCon event, utilizing the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to interconnect SWIFT’s legacy messages with multiple blockchains.
In May 2023, tests with BNY Mellon and BNP Paribas successfully transferred tokenized assets between chains.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
