Ubyx is building a framework to enable tokenized money to move between issuers and institutions, supporting the exchange and redemption of funds.
Jan 7, 2026, 10:22 a.m.
Barclays, the U.K.'s second-largest bank by market capitalization, said it invested in Ubyx, a U.S. startup developing clearing systems for tokenized forms of money such as bank deposits and regulated stablecoins.
The investment, terms of which were not disclosed, signals growing interest among traditional banks to lay the groundwork for blockchain-based payments that stay within the bounds of existing financial regulations.
That push includes Switzerland's UBS, PostFinance and Sygnum Bank carrying out transactions on Ethereum in a proof of concept, and interbank messaging system Swift building infrastructure for onchain settlement.
Ubyx is building technology to enable tokenized money to move between issuers and institutions through a common settlement framework. The system is designed to support the exchange and redemption of tokenized funds at par value across wallets, banks and payment platforms.
“Interoperability is essential to unlock the full potential of digital assets,” said Ryan Hayward, Barclays’ head of digital assets and strategic investments, in a statement. “As the landscape of tokens, blockchains and wallets evolves, specialist technology will play a pivotal role in delivering connectivity and infrastructure to enable regulated financial institutions to interact seamlessly.”
Early last year, Ubyx raised $10 million in a seed round led by Galaxy Ventures. VanEck, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Coinbase Ventures also participated in the fundraiser.
More For You
KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Hedge Fund Karatage appoints IMC veteran Shane O’Callaghan as senior partner

O'Callaghan joins from market maker IMC where he was employed as global head of institutional partnerships and digital asset sales.
What to know:
- Karatage has appointed Shane O'Callaghan as a senior partner and head of institutional strategy.
- He joins from IMC Trading and previously held high-level roles at Portofino Technologies and BlockFi.
- Founded in 2017, London-based Karatage invests across digital assets, crypto-focused funds and blockchain-related companies.

4 days ago
2





English (US) ·