In-Depth Analysis of Business Opportunities for Financial IT Companies from Digital Currencies

Based on the latest industry data and development trends, I will provide you with a systematic analysis of business opportunities for financial IT companies from digital currencies.

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2025 is destined to leave a profound mark in financial history, serving as a watershed year for the digital asset industry to move from the periphery to the core, and from speculation to institutionalization [1]. The global financial system has witnessed unprecedented legislative breakthroughs, particularly in major economies such as the United States, where the implementation of regulatory frameworks has ended a decade of operation in a gray area [2]. The total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies exceeded $4 trillion for the first time, with Bitcoin hitting an all-time high. This trend is driven by continuous institutional entry, progress in regulatory policies, especially the expansion of the stablecoin sector and compliant investment products [3].

In December 2025, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) issued the “Action Plan on Further Strengthening the Digital RMB Management Service System and Related Financial Infrastructure Construction”, which clearly states that the new-generation Digital RMB measurement framework, management system, operation mechanism, and ecosystem will be officially launched on January 1, 2026 [4]. This means the Digital RMB will evolve from the 1.0 era of digital cash to the 2.0 era of digital deposit currency, which will have a far-reaching impact on financial IT systems.

As of the end of 2025, the global market capitalization of stablecoins has exceeded $300 billion, with applications expanding in cross-border payments, digital asset trading, and emerging markets [5]. The transaction volume of stablecoins is estimated to reach $46 trillion, a figure more than 20 times the transaction volume of payment platform PayPal, nearly 3 times the transaction volume of Visa, one of the world’s largest payment networks, and rapidly approaching the transaction scale of the US Automated Clearing House (ACH) [6].

The global crypto asset management market reached $1.57 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow from $1.96 billion in 2026 to $11.74 billion in 2034, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.06% during the forecast period [7]. This market growth is driven by increased institutional adoption, improved regulatory transparency in multiple jurisdictions, and the launch of secure asset management platforms offering automated trading, multi-layered security, and integrated custody solutions.

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The core of the “Digital RMB Action Plan” is to establish a “unified, standardized, and scalable” Digital RMB management system, addressing issues such as system fragmentation, scenario isolation, and insufficient security guarantees during the pilot phase [4]. Its impact focuses on four areas: banking IT system transformation, payment terminal upgrade, security encryption, and scenario operation, and listed companies in related fields will enter a period of performance release.

According to the latest policy requirements, banks need to build a digital solution of “account system + currency string + smart contract”, upgrade existing account systems, promote the application of emerging technologies based on new-type accounts (Digital RMB wallets), and enhance the digitalization and intelligence of RMB issuance, circulation, and payment links [8]. This brings huge system transformation demands for financial IT companies, including:

• Core Banking System Transformation
  : The core systems of traditional banks need to be adapted to support the issuance, circulation, and withdrawal functions of the Digital RMB
• Wallet Management System
  : Build a multi-level digital wallet system supporting multiple types including personal wallets, corporate wallets, and dedicated wallets
• Smart Contract Platform
  : Upgrade the Digital RMB smart contract ecosystem service platform to support the construction of an open-source smart contract ecosystem
• Regulatory Reporting System
  : Build a compliance monitoring and reporting system that meets regulatory requirements

With the continuous expansion of Digital RMB application scenarios, the demand for payment terminal upgrades continues to grow. As of the end of August 2025, Beijing has accumulated nearly 20 million personal Digital RMB wallets opened, 540 million transactions processed, with a total transaction amount of nearly RMB 300 billion, and nearly 2 million merchants supporting Digital RMB acceptance [9]. This means:

• POS Terminal Transformation
  : Traditional POS terminals need to be upgraded to support Digital RMB payment functions
• ATM Transformation
  : Cash self-service devices need to support the function of converting Digital RMB back to cash; as of now, 197 cash self-service devices in Zhongshan City support this function [10]
• QR Code Payment System
  : Need to support Digital RMB QR code payment and achieve interoperability with existing QR code payment systems

The multilateral central bank digital currency bridge platform, co-built by the People’s Bank of China, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Bank of Thailand, Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, and the BIS Innovation Hub, is becoming a key support for the innovation of cross-border payment efficiency [11]. With the distributed architecture based on blockchain technology, commercial banks can achieve real-time interconnection of all operating nodes while ensuring the integrity of each country’s currency sovereignty through technical isolation.

This design significantly shortens the payment link, reducing cross-border capital turnover from days to seconds. In terms of costs, compared with traditional SWIFT remittances, the mBridge service avoids the involvement of multi-layer intermediate correspondent banks; according to real transaction experience, transaction costs can be reduced by at least 50% [11]. This means the following business opportunities for financial IT companies:

• Cross-Border Payment System Construction
  : Build cross-border payment and settlement systems connecting central banks and commercial banks of multiple countries
• Blockchain Platform Development
  : Develop payment and settlement platforms based on distributed ledgers
• Currency Conversion Engine
  : Develop real-time multi-currency exchange and settlement engines
• Compliance Monitoring System
  : Build anti-money laundering (AML) and compliance monitoring systems that meet the regulatory requirements of various countries

The revised “Rules for the RMB Cross-Border Payment System (CIPS)” will take effect on February 1, 2026. Through measures such as “hybrid settlement mode”, “international multi-currency business”, and “alignment with international anti-money laundering standards”, it promotes efficiency improvement and international expansion of RMB cross-border payments [4]. This will directly benefit cross-border payment technology service providers, covering businesses such as system construction, operation and maintenance, and data processing.

As institutional and individual investors increasingly incorporate digital assets into their capital operation, payment, and investment strategies, the demand for compliant, scalable, and user-friendly management systems continues to grow [7]. The scale of Enterprise Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT) has expanded significantly, with banks, payment providers, and enterprises integrating blockchain-based assets into their operations becoming potential clients.

BNY Mellon launched its digital asset custody platform in 2022, becoming the first global systemically important bank to offer this service to institutional clients [12]. Today, BNY Mellon’s integrated platform not only provides secure custody of Bitcoin and Ethereum, but also creates access to a wider range of tokenization, payment, and collateral services. This “traditional finance + digital finance” integration model provides an important business reference for financial IT companies:

• Custody System Development
  : Build a multi-level digital asset custody system that meets regulatory requirements
• Cold-Hot Separation Storage
  : Develop secure cold-hot separation storage solutions
• Multi-Signature Mechanism
  : Implement secure management mechanisms with multi-authorization and multi-factor authentication
• Asset Reconciliation System
  : Build real-time asset reconciliation and clearing systems

Securities trading includes the transaction execution link and the post-trade processing link. Currently, blockchain-based processing systems still struggle to meet the performance requirements of high-volume trading systems (typically requiring tens of thousands of transactions per second, with daily processing capacity of over 50 million orders and 30 million trades). However, blockchain technology has many advantages in the transaction review and clearing links, which can greatly reduce processing time and reduce manual participation [13].

With the introduction of the EU’s MiCA Regulation, the US’s GENIUS Act, and Hong Kong’s “Stablecoin Ordinance”, these regulations have laid the basic framework for stablecoin supervision, and stablecoins are no longer operating outside the regulatory scope [14]. In the third quarter of 2025, on-chain USDC transaction volume increased by 680% year-on-year to nearly $10 trillion, demonstrating the astonishing speed and broad coverage of the 24/7 internet economy [12].

Stablecoins are virtual currencies, and the issuance and investment in tokens are subject to varying degrees of regulatory requirements and restrictions in different countries and regions. Issuing tokens in mainland China is suspected of “illegal securities issuance” [15]. Therefore, the business opportunities for financial IT companies mainly focus on:

• Compliant Stablecoin System
  : Provide stablecoin issuance system development services for licensed institutions
• Fiat-Crypto On/Off Ramps
  : Develop channels connecting traditional banking systems and blockchain networks for fiat-currency conversion
• KYC/AML System
  : Build customer identity verification (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) systems that meet regulatory requirements
• Cross-Chain Transmission Protocol
  : Develop protocols supporting asset transfer between multiple blockchains

New-generation startups are linking stablecoins with mainstream payment systems and local currencies. Some companies allow people to convert local account balances to digital dollars through crypto verification technology, while others connect to regional payment networks, using functions such as QR codes and real-time payment systems to enable inter-bank transfers [6]. This creates the following business opportunities for financial IT companies:

• Payment Gateway Development
  : Build merchant acquiring systems supporting stablecoin payments
• Wallet Application Development
  : Develop a global digital wallet layer and card-issuing platform with interoperability
• Settlement Engine
  : Develop real-time settlement engines supporting 7×24 payment settlement
• Merchant Management System
  : Build an integrated platform for merchant onboarding, transaction processing, and reconciliation

Looking at the global financial market, the demand for on-chaining of Real World Assets (RWAs) is clearly rising, which may drive innovative opportunities for data assets in scenarios such as cross-border payments, supply chain settlement, and green finance, as well as the exploration and practice of tokenization of intangible assets such as intellectual property, patents, and proprietary technology [11].

Tokenized money market funds have become a mature application scenario in the field of real-world asset tokenization. With advantages such as fast settlement speed, high collateral liquidity, and strong auditability, they have rapidly emerged as on-chain cash equivalents [3]. The SEC Chairman recently stated publicly that he is advancing the strategic plan of “migrating all assets to on-chain trading within the next 2 years” [2]. This means:

• Asset Registration System
  : Build blockchain platforms supporting registration, right confirmation, and circulation of various assets
• Smart Contract Development
  : Develop smart contracts for asset issuance, dividend distribution, and redemption that meet regulatory requirements
• Transaction Matching System
  : Build regulated trading platforms for tokenized assets
• Valuation System
  : Develop real-time asset evaluation and valuation systems

Blockchain technology supports the splitting of supply chain funds in accordance with agreed requirements, and writing contract terms into smart contracts in the pre-consumption field can effectively prevent fund misappropriation [11]. This provides business opportunities for financial IT companies in the supply chain finance field:

• Supply Chain Finance Platform
  : Build blockchain-based supply chain finance service platforms
• Accounts Receivable Financing
  : Develop systems for on-chaining, splitting, circulation, and financing of accounts receivable
• Cargo Circulation Tracking
  : Build blockchain-based cargo tracking and capital flow matching systems
• Multi-Party Reconciliation System
  : Develop real-time reconciliation systems supporting multi-party participation

In addition to cross-border payments, domestic corporate payments still have many pain points such as manual reconciliation and fund misappropriation risks. Payment technology can provide enterprises with “payment + digital solutions” [11]. For example, in industries such as catering and retail, payment systems will be automatically connected to enterprises’ ERP, member systems, and invoice systems to achieve the integration of “capital flow, information flow, and bill flow”.

With the smart contract and blockchain technology of the Digital RMB, payment technology will be widely applied in prepaid consumption supervision and supply chain fund splitting [11]. Business opportunities for financial IT companies include:

• ERP System Integration
  : Develop payment modules integrated with mainstream ERP systems
• Member Management System
  : Build integrated member payment systems supporting points, stored value, and coupons
• Invoice System Connection
  : Develop electronic invoice automatic issuing systems connected to tax control systems
• Fund Control System
  : Develop fund management systems supporting multi-level approval and budget control

Smart contracts can already complete global US dollar payment settlement in seconds, but by 2026, emerging primitives such as x402 will make settlement programmable and responsive: instant permissionless payments for data, GPU computing power, or API calls can be achieved between agents without invoicing, reconciliation, or batch processing [6]. This creates business opportunities for financial IT companies in Smart Contracts as a Service (SCaaS):

• Smart Contract Template Library
  : Build a smart contract template library covering common business scenarios
• Low-Code Development Platform
  : Develop low-code smart contract development platforms that allow business personnel to configure independently
• Contract Audit Service
  : Provide smart contract security audit services
• Automated Execution Engine
  : Develop reliable smart contract execution and monitoring engines

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Financial institutions are accelerating the construction of a full-stack digital base with cloud-native as the core, promoting end-to-end agile delivery and unified governance from infrastructure to scenario applications [11]. Facing common challenges such as domestic computing power adaptation, data security sharing, and model controllability, the industry is shifting to cross-departmental collaboration and ecological co-construction models.

Core blockchain technologies that financial IT companies need to master include:

Technology Area	Application Scenarios	Business Value
Distributed Ledger	Cross-border payments, securities settlement	Improves settlement efficiency and reduces intermediary costs
Smart Contracts	Supply chain finance, prepaid consumption regulation	Automates execution and reduces manual intervention
Privacy Computing	KYC, AML	Protects user privacy and meets compliance requirements
Cross-Chain Technology	Multi-chain asset circulation	Enables interoperability and expands application scope
Zero-Knowledge Proofs	Privacy protection, identity verification	Enables verification while preserving privacy

Financial institutions need to connect traditional financial infrastructure with emerging digital currency systems, which puts forward higher requirements for system integration capabilities:

• API Gateway Construction
  : Build a high-availability, high-performance API gateway to support interconnection of internal and external systems
• Message Queue
  : Deploy a reliable message queue system to ensure reliable transmission of key transactions
• Data Synchronization
  : Build real-time data synchronization mechanisms to ensure consistency between on-chain and off-chain data
• Disaster Recovery Backup
  : Build a financial-grade disaster recovery backup system

The authorized invention patent combining zero trust and the Digital RMB indicates that the security of mobile payment transfers is receiving increasing attention [9]. Financial IT companies need to build a comprehensive security system:

• Identity Authentication
  : Build a multi-factor identity authentication system
• Key Management
  : Develop a financial-grade key management system
• Encrypted Transmission
  : Implement end-to-end encrypted transmission
• Security Audit
  : Build a complete security audit and log system

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Company	Business Focus	Benefit Logic
Sifang Jingchuang	Blockchain, digital currencies	Participated in the mBridge project and is deeply involved in cross-border payment system construction
Nantian Information	Banking IT services	Demand for system upgrades driven by the promotion of Digital RMB applications
Jingbeifang	Digital RMB smart contracts, middle-office systems	High order share, directly benefits from Digital RMB system construction
Zhongyi Technology	IT infrastructure construction and operation	Provides Digital RMB-related IT services for financial institutions
Tianyang Technology	Banking credit, transaction banking	New opportunities brought by Digital RMB applications in trade settlement and supply chain finance

Company	Business Focus	Benefit Logic
Lakala	Third-party payment	Extensive coverage of Digital RMB acquiring business, significant advantages in cross-border payment integration with CIPS
Xinchen Technology	Cross-border digital payment and blockchain platforms	Provides services to cross-border trade enterprises
CNPC Capital	Digital RMB payment	Promotes Digital RMB payment and oil settlement scenario expansion through Kunlun Bank

Major global financial institutions are actively deploying crypto asset custody and trading businesses:

• BNY Mellon
  : The first global systemically important bank to offer digital asset custody services to institutional clients
• JPMorgan
  : Its Onyx division and JPM Coin process tens of billions of US dollars in transactions daily
• BlackRock, Franklin Templeton
  : Expand the scale of tokenized funds, with financial assets migrating from centralized databases to blockchains

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The global crypto asset management market reached $1.57 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow to $11.74 billion in 2034, with a CAGR of 25.06% [7]. As institutional and individual investors use digital assets to diversify their investment portfolios, the crypto asset management industry will continue to develop rapidly.

According to industry forecasts, the North American blockchain financial market is expected to account for 36.4% of the global share by 2035 [16]. Key market participants include technology giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, and Oracle, as well as numerous specialized fintech companies.

As of September 2025, the pilot data of the Digital RMB includes:

• Total transactions: 33.2 billion
• Total transaction amount: RMB 14.2 trillion
• Personal wallets: 225 million (opened through the Digital RMB App) [17]

With the launch of the Digital RMB 2.0 era, these figures are expected to continue growing rapidly.

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The development of RWAs faces many challenges, not only technical difficulties such as scalability, interoperability, privacy protection, and security, but also compliance risks caused by insufficient cross-border regulatory coordination, overly complex governance structures, and rapid changes in regulatory policies in various countries [11].

Under the circumstance that domestic virtual currency-related business activities are clearly defined as illegal financial activities, combined with the strict requirements of domestic regulators to crack down on virtual currency mining, exchange, trading, payment, and speculation, how to adhere to the bottom line, use fintech means to strengthen the trusted circulation of related assets, and prevent and crack down on illegal financial activities will become key focus areas [11].

Cutting-edge technology applications iterate rapidly, and the boundaries of emerging businesses are blurred, while the formulation of laws, regulations, and industry standards lags behind. How to achieve a dynamic balance between encouraging innovation and preventing risks is an important issue for regulators, and also a risk factor that financial IT companies need to carefully evaluate.

The annual trading range of cryptocurrencies reached approximately 76%, with the total market capitalization fluctuating sharply between $2.4 trillion and $4.2 trillion [3]. Crypto assets ended 2025 with an annual decline of approximately 7.9%, highlighting that the pricing logic of crypto assets is increasingly influenced by the macro environment and traditional financial cycles.

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Financial IT companies should focus on building compliance capabilities, including:

• In-depth understanding of digital currency regulatory policies in various countries
• Establishing a regulatory-compliant technical architecture
• Developing system functions that meet KYC/AML requirements
• Building comprehensive audit tracking and reporting capabilities

As domestic financial technology localization (Xinchuang) continues to deepen, significant progress has been made in financial digital transformation, financial computing ecosystems, and financial security [11]. Financial IT companies should seize the opportunities of domestic substitution and build a financial innovation ecosystem of “domestic base + top-tier models”.

Fintech enterprises going overseas adopt a “dual-market” model: achieving inclusive coverage through large-scale promotion in emerging markets, and building competitive barriers through technical depth in mature markets [11]. Financial IT companies should carry out precise strategic layout based on the global pattern and their own capabilities:

• Emerging markets: Promote standardized products relying on cost advantages and rapid deployment capabilities
• Mature markets: Focus on niche areas such as blockchain cross-border payments, smart investment advisory algorithms, and advanced anti-fraud systems

As the infrastructure of the public chain era is already sufficiently完善, the next decade is truly worth investing in application implementation, public goods, open-source tools, and structured financing [15]. Financial IT companies should:

• Increase R&D investment in smart contracts, privacy computing, cross-chain technology, and other fields
• Build low-code/no-code development platforms to lower the threshold for application development
• Strengthen cooperation with research institutions to promote the implementation of cutting-edge technologies

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The development of digital currencies has brought unprecedented business opportunities for financial IT companies. Starting from the Digital RMB