Traditional finance is rapidly integrating stablecoins as an “always-on” payment rail.

Barclays’ January 2026 acquisition of a stake in Ubyx, a US startup specializing in stablecoin clearing, highlights this. The strategic investment allows the bank to accept any regulated stablecoin and instantly convert it into a “par value” bank deposit.

This aligns with Barclays’ existing participation in a 10-bank consortium, including Goldman Sachs and UBS, exploring a regulated stablecoin pegged to G7 currencies.

Ubyx functions as an interoperability and clearing layer, enabling banks to accept stablecoin transactions without managing the underlying crypto. Ubyx is led by Tony McLaughlin, formerly of Citi and an advocate for…