Beyond Borders: Reimagining CBDCs, Stablecoins and RTGS for Cross-border settlement

26 September 2025
2PM - 3PM SGT
Venue: NUS FinTech Lab, 11 Research Link, COM3-01-18

About The Talk

The current cross-border payment system faces significant inefficiencies due to its dependence on traditional correspondent banking networks. Transactions often require multiple intermediaries, resulting in slow settlement times of several days, higher costs, and additional complexity from reliance on major currency clearing systems such as the US dollar and euro. These limitations create challenges for businesses that require faster, cheaper, and more scalable international payment solutions.

To improve global payment infrastructure, international efforts such as the G20 roadmap focus on enhancing payment speed, transparency, accessibility, and interoperability. Key improvements include expanding access to real-time gross settlement (RTGS) systems and adopting the ISO 20022 messaging standard to improve communication between financial institutions. However, achieving fully real-time, 24/7 cross-border payments remains difficult due to existing legacy systems and operational limitations.

Emerging technologies such as blockchain, stablecoins, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) provide potential solutions but also introduce new challenges. Stablecoins enable faster and cheaper transactions but raise concerns around regulation, transparency, and compliance, while CBDCs offer greater oversight but may face integration and efficiency issues when connected with existing financial infrastructure. Therefore, the future of cross-border payments requires a balanced approach that combines technological innovation, infrastructure modernization, interoperability, and regulatory compliance.

About The Speaker

Boonthicha Sae-Jia

Boonthicha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence from Chulalongkorn University.Research Focus: Specializes in Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Large Language Models (LLMs) applied to financial technologies and time-series data.Past Experience: Gained experience through international exchanges in Hong Kong and Japan, as well as a Data Engineering internship. 

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ABOUT THE SERIES

The FinTech Factory Lunchtime Series brings together researchers and industry experts to discuss emerging developments in financial technology. Through guest talks and interactive discussions, the series explores topics such as decentralized systems, digital finance, blockchain infrastructure, and the evolving relationship between technology and financial markets.

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