Next generation correspondent banking

Key takeaways

• Existing correspondent banking processes have struggled to adapt to new regulatory and supervisory requirements, posing questions on the future of the correspondent banking model.
• The tokenisation of correspondent banking, as embodied in Project Agorá (BIS (2024b)), could unlock streamlined pre-screening and atomic settlement, and pave the way for superior customer verification and anti-money laundering (AML) procedures.
• Tokenisation could substantially reduce duplication and miscoordination, thereby revitalising cross-border payments by fostering a robust network of correspondents and corridors.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the BIS or its member central banks.