5 YEARS OF BLINC: MILESTONES THAT MOVED THE MARKET

Since its launch in 2020, BCB Group’s pioneering instant-settlement network BLINC has been a game-changer in the world’s fast-moving crypto markets. 

The aim was to bridge the gap between crypto speed and banking trust across global markets to create a world where crypto never sleeps – all the while translating into reduced costs for financial organisations.

Fast-forward five years and BLINC has become the premier multi-currency settlement network for the global digital asset industry. 

BLINC has become the trusted solution to banking delays, limits and operating-hour restrictions, offering seamless, secure and multi-jurisdictional payments worldwide as the industry axis shifts from batch to real-time settlement.

This track record means it’s trusted by industry leaders including Bitstamp, Kraken, B2C2, Bitvavo and SwissBorg among others.

Five key milestones in BLINC’s journey:

1. 2020 (27 July): BCB Group launches BLINC (BCB Liquidity Interchange Network Consortium), a real-time payments network that allows fee-free real-time transactions across fiat and digital currencies using BCB Group’s proprietary technology. It eliminates the need for conventional payment schemes such as SWIFT and SEPA for transfers between BLINC members.

2. 2024 (February): BLINC is integrated with the Fireblocks Network, allowing instant fiat transfers between Fireblocks and BLINC users – enabling quick funding to exchange accounts and 24/7 fiat movement between trading venues and counterparties.

3. 2024 (28 March): The addition of US dollars to the BLINC network enables instant, 24/7 USD payments and settlement.

4. 2025 (April): BLINC magazine is launched, providing insights into the key developments in the digital economy and the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency assets, as well as an insight into BCB’s capabilities for clients and newcomers alike.

5. 2025 (November): BLINC celebrates its 5th anniversary, having successfully redefined the way payments are made within the digital asset space. With $200 billion in transaction volume processed, it has linked over 400 institutional clients and created nearly 80,000 potential settlement connections across the global digital asset ecosystem. The currencies supported have now expanded to include USD, GBP, EUR, CHF, JPY, AUD, NZD and SGD.

Partnerships that work 

Our launch partner Bitstamp, the world’s oldest active cryptocurrency exchange remains a key part of our success story. The company is keen to highlight how BLINC’s operational efficiency and reliable payment rails have been critical to its client satisfaction. 

“Our integration with BCB Group’s BLINC Network has delivered transformative improvements to our institutional offering,” a spokesperson said.

“This real-time settlement capability has drastically reduced operational risk and improved treasury management for our institutional clients. It ensures we can provide the speed and reliability necessary for professional traders in the fast-moving digital asset market.”

Jonathan Milks, CEO at Stillman Digital added: “BLINC has transformed our ability to move funds and process settlements for our client counterparties. The speed and transparency it delivers has unlocked new efficiencies and scalability for us and our clients.”

Meanwhile, James Owens of Deus X Pay told us: “BLINC has made our settlement process effortless; it’s quick, seamless and highly efficient.”

The future is BLINC

Marking this major milestone, and as a mechanism to spearhead growth and reward customers, BCB Group is introducing BLINC Rewards. The more actively you use BLINC—and the more you help grow the ecosystem—the greater your rewards.

Tom Squire, BCB Group’s Chief Revenue Officer stated: “We’ve always been deeply committed to our customers—BLINC was built with them, and it has grown because of them. BLINC Rewards is our way of saying thank you. It strengthens our ecosystem by rewarding people for contributing to it. This is about deepening relationships and recognising the network effects our customers create every day.”

As crypto markets mature, scrutiny over settlement infrastructure intensifies. BLINC’s position as the scalable solution that connects exchanges, markets and fintechs on an instant, 24/7/365 basis has transformed digital asset finance. 

BLINC continues to be an intrinsic part of BCB Group’s vision for a unified, programmable liquidity layer to frictionlessly connect traditional banks, fintechs and digital asset platforms globally.

• Find out more about BLINC, BCB Group’s fast, fee-free instant payment network. 

• If you found this post useful, do like, comment or share with your network.