British bank makes first known stablecoin-related investment as banks accelerate digital money infrastructure
Barclays has taken a strategic step into the stablecoin ecosystem by acquiring a stake in U.S.-based startup Ubyx, signaling growing interest among major banks in regulated tokenized money and digital settlement infrastructure.
The investment marks Barclays’ first direct capital deployment into a stablecoin-focused company. The bank said the move aligns with its long-term strategy to explore new forms of digital money within existing regulatory frameworks. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 2025, Ubyx operates a clearing and settlement system designed to reconcile transactions across multiple stablecoin issuers. The company raised $10 million in seed funding last year from prominent institutional backers and recently added a former US commodities regulator as an adviser.
The investment follows a broader trend of bank-led initiatives to build shared infrastructure for tokenized assets. Barclays previously joined a 10-bank consortium exploring a jointly issued, regulated stablecoin tied to a basket of major currencies. Separately, European banks are preparing to launch a MiCAR-compliant euro stablecoin in 2026.
The global stablecoin supply now exceeds $290 billion, dominated by dollar-pegged tokens used primarily for settlement, liquidity, and cross-border payments. While few banks have issued stablecoins directly, interest is rising.
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