BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS IN BANKING: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7251/AKPR2602121AKeywords:
blockchain, banks, distributed ledger, tokenisation, settlementAbstract
This paper examines how banks are using blockchain technology and what is hindering the expansion of its use. The paper reviews recent academic literature, as well as actual applications documented in 2025 and 2026. The methodology combines an analysis of peer-reviewed studies with verified data from central banks, market infrastructure providers, and asset managers. The results show that the greatest value comes from the sharing of ledgers among regulated institutions, rather than from public cryptocurrency networks. Most of the measured gains are concentrated in payments, securities settlement, trade finance, and identity verification. Systems operating today deliver real value on a large scale; one repurchase platform settled $8 trillion in a single month, and tokenized treasury funds exceeded $15 billion. Adoption remains constrained by regulation, compatibility with legacy systems, and governance. The paper concludes that banks are selectively integrating blockchain into their regulated infrastructure, not to replace their core systems.
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