Quick Take
- IBM has added access to Swift’s shared ledger to Digital Asset Haven through a beta ISO 20022 messaging adapter.
- IBM is also extending Haven to an on-premises beta deployment that runs on IBM Z and LinuxONE without relying on public cloud infrastructure.
Clients of IBM Digital Asset Haven, its platform for managing and securing digital assets, can now connect to permissioned blockchain networks, including Swift's blockchain-based shared ledger, IBM said Thursday. A new beta ISO 20022 messaging adapter lets institutions instruct tokenized deposit transactions through the ledger using standard payment messages.
IBM said financial institutions participating in Swift's program have already tested tokenized deposits on the ledger using Digital Asset Haven. The ledger supports bank-issued tokenized deposits and is built to allow participating IBM clients to move digital assets 24/7, with final settlement taking place through existing systems. The messaging adapter lets banks build on existing payment message formats and operational processes rather than blockchain-specific workflows, according to a release shared with The Block.
Swift first announced the ledger at Sibos 2025, based on a prototype developed with Consensys. More than 40 financial institutions worked with Swift on its design, and 17 are participating in a tokenized deposit pilot. Globally, Swift connects more than 12,500 financial institutions across over 200 markets.
Ibm Opens On-Premises Haven Beta
IBM is also extending Digital Asset Haven to an on-premises beta deployment for clients.
The new option can be installed on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE in a client’s own data center to manage digital assets such as stablecoins and tokenized deposits without relying on public cloud infrastructure. IBM said the platform and its key management layer remain entirely inside the client's own environment, while IBM Crypto Express hardware security modules protect the keys.
Digital Asset Haven launched in October 2025 with SaaS and hybrid deployment options. IBM built the platform with wallet infrastructure provider Dfns for banks, governments, and other regulated organizations working with digital assets. The on-premises version uses the same architecture, APIs, and workflows as Haven's SaaS and hybrid options.
"The financial services industry is entering a new era where tokenized and traditional assets will need to move side by side," Tom McPherson, general manager, IBM Z and LinuxONE, said. "By connecting to Swift's shared ledger and extending IBM Digital Asset Haven to on-premises environments, IBM is helping clients participate in emerging digital asset networks while prioritizing control of their most critical financial operations."