Nearly 90% of large businesses are using or testing tokenized money to speed up payments, DBS says
Large companies move to tokenized money for faster payments
Most large businesses are using or testing tokenized money, according to a survey commissioned by DBS and carried out by EY. Tokenized money is cash or cash-like assets recorded on a digital system, often a blockchain, which is a shared digital ledger that records transactions without a single central record keeper.
The study found that 88% of 422 finance leaders at large companies reported live use of the technology, pilots, or plans to adopt it. The main reason given was faster payments and better cash management.
What the survey found
- 88% of respondents had deployed tokenized money, run pilots, or planned to adopt it; 24% had deployed it at scale and 43% had limited live use.
- Stablecoins, digital tokens that hold a stable value linked to a currency, led the list at 63%, ahead of tokenized deposits at 53% and tokenized money market funds at 52%.
- 71% said they already saw or expected faster real-time cross-border payments within two years; 65% saw the same for treasury liquidity management.
- 72% expect better traceability of transactions within two years, and 64% want a single bank as their entry point to the tokenized money ecosystem.
- 63% said they needed help with pilots and integration, and many cited regulatory uncertainty, security risks, and integration problems as obstacles.
About the survey and its limits
The poll included 422 business and finance leaders from 11 markets, including the U.S., China, Germany and the U.K. All represented organizations with annual revenue above $500 million. Because the respondents work at large companies, the results may not reflect smaller businesses.
Why companies say they want it
DBS's group head of global transaction services, Lim Soon Chong, said that fragmentation across many systems adds complexity and compliance work for companies. He said the future would be shaped by new forms of money and technology, and by trusted partners that can connect value movement across different networks.
DBS offers infrastructure for this area. It launched DBS Token Services in 2024, linking its permissioned blockchain, a network that only approved participants can join, with its payment systems to allow round-the-clock settlement and payments governed by preset conditions.
What is confirmed
The confirmed facts come from the EY study and DBS statements: 88% of surveyed large-company finance leaders use or test tokenized money; stablecoins lead at 63%; 71% expect or see faster cross-border payments within two years; 64% want one bank as an access point; and 63% want help with pilots and integration.
What is still unclear
The study reports companies' own plans and expectations, not independent measurements of how much money has moved. It also does not explain in detail how widespread the technology is outside these large firms.
Why this matters
If large companies keep moving to tokenized money, cross-border payments could become faster and easier to track. At the same time, the many complaints about needing help with pilots and integration suggest the shift is not yet smooth for most businesses.
What happens next
The survey does not set a company-wide timeline. It does say many respondents expect faster cross-border payments and better traceability within two years.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.
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