The financial industry is experiencing a period of fundamental change. On one side stands the time-tested SWIFT system, which has been servicing global payments for over half a century. On the other, revolutionary blockchain technologies promising faster, cheaper, and more transparent transactions. But are these systems truly destined for irreconcilable conflict, or is peaceful coexistence possible? 

SWIFT holds the line 

Despite aggressive predictions from crypto enthusiasts, SWIFT isn't ready to surrender its position just yet. The system possesses a vast regulated network in every country worldwide, and the global financial system will not risk abandoning time-proven infrastructure that took decades to establish. 

Moreover, SWIFT is actively evolving, integrating blockchain technologies. Projects like GPI, BIS Agora with ISO20022 support, and partnerships with Chainlink Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol show that the traditional system isn't ignoring innovation, but rather embedding it within existing architecture. 

Blockchain seeks its niche in 'marginal' segments 

However, blockchain companies have their own strategy. Instead of launching a frontal attack on SWIFT's core business, they're focusing on what experts call 'marginal' transactions – operations that are either impossible within the existing regulatory environment or extremely costly. 

The scale of these opportunities is impressive. Ripple, a company that could be called "a flea on the back of the SWIFT elephant," has already achieved a market capitalisation of $220 billion. Analysts predict growth to $500 billion by capturing just 1% of the SWIFT market. 

New opportunities worth trillions 

Blockchain opens access to previously unavailable financial operations. Here are just some of them: 

• Bypassing sanctions restrictions for legitimate trade. Many countries are seeking alternatives to SWIFT following its "weaponisation" in geopolitical conflicts

• Government-to-government transactions without dollar intermediation. Given that 87% of global trade today is settled in US dollars, the de-dollarisation process opens enormous opportunities for alternative payment systems

• Tokenisation of government assets. The potential of tokenised assets is approximately $300 trillion – a market comparable to global GDP

Real examples already exist. If one looks at the existing G2G deal between the UAE and Kenya for oil, it is a contractual arrangement on paper that is one small step away from switching the paper for a token on blockchain. In the meantime, both banking communities are actively exploring RM capabilities using blockchain. 

Governments seek their own solutions 

A key trend is governments' drive to create their own blockchain infrastructures under complete national control. This is critically important for ensuring national security and compliance with local regulation. 

"We understand that SWIFT isn't going away tomorrow – it's a battle-tested system with a global network," comments Christopher Louis Tsu, CEO of Venom Foundation. "However, we see immense opportunities on the periphery of this system. Venom Foundation is focused on what I term 'marginal' transactions – those that are not SWIFT's core operations but where blockchain can truly unlock its potential. With our 5th generation architecture, featuring asynchronous processes, pBFT consensus, and dynamic sharding, Venom Foundation enables complex financial operations that are either infeasible or prohibitively expensive in traditional systems today."

Trillion-dollar potential of 'marginal' segments 

"The future belongs to companies that can provide governments with blockchain infrastructure they fully own and control, whilst ensuring connectivity to other countries," believes Christopher Louis Tsu, CEO of Venom Foundation. "This is critically important for national security and regulation. When we look at the tokenisation of $300 trillion worth of assets or the growing need for trade de-dollarisation, we don't see competition with SWIFT, but rather the creation of an entirely new financial ecosystem. These 'marginal' segments could transform into an industry the size of Saudi Arabia's GDP literally overnight." 

Multi-layered future of finance 

Instead of irreconcilable conflict, the industry is moving towards forming a multi-layered financial ecosystem. Traditional systems will maintain dominance in core segments, serving major banks and governments. Blockchain solutions will capture innovative niches, opening new opportunities for startups and technology companies. 

The success of new players will depend on their ability to integrate with existing regulatory environments and win the trust of institutional market participants. Companies that can build bridges between traditional and innovative systems will gain the greatest advantages in this transformation. 

One thing is certain: the financial industry will never be the same again. The only question is who will manage to extract maximum benefit from these changes. 

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