Key Insights:
- Stablecoin news: Malaysia and Thailand join Singapore’s BLOOM initiative as policymaker members.
- Airwallex, Mastercard, Maybank, Ripple, Visa and the World Bank Group join the expanded group.
- The initiative covers tokenized deposits, regulated stablecoins and cross-border settlement standards.
Stablecoin news gained a regional focus on October 23, 2026, as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced two new policymaker members for its BLOOM initiative. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT) will work with MAS to develop common approaches to cross-border digital money.
BLOOM stands for Borderless, Liquid, Open, Online, Multi-currency. It brings together policymakers, financial institutions, payment networks and technology providers to support the use of digital money across borders.
The three central banks will work with industry players in their respective jurisdictions. Their efforts will focus on how different forms of digital money can be accepted, exchanged and settled across institutions, payment networks and countries.
It is worth noting that the initiative comes as financial institutions explore different uses for tokenized deposits and regulated stablecoins. However, different systems and local rules can make cross-border transactions difficult to organize. BLOOM aims to address these issues through shared approaches and closer cooperation.
MAS said the initiative would also examine how international standards and local supervisory requirements can apply to cross-border digital money transactions. This approach allows countries to work towards common standards without removing differences in their laws and regulations.
Stablecoin News and the Implications of BLOOM for Digital Payments
The expansion of BLOOM could help financial institutions avoid setting up separate arrangements for every market or business partner. According to MAS, the initiative would develop implementation frameworks and align commercial and operating arrangements.
Notably, these steps are intended to lower implementation costs and help institutions bring services to market faster. Central bank participation will also ensure that public policy and regulatory concerns remain part of the process.
Stablecoin news is relevant to this development because regulated stablecoins are among the digital money forms covered by the initiative. These assets may support payments and settlements, but their cross-border use requires institutions to address differences between markets.
BLOOM also covers tokenized deposits and settlement across payment networks. Its work spans payments, treasury, and trade finance, offering participants several areas to explore.
The initiative does not announce a new stablecoin or confirm a launch date for a cross-border payment service. Instead, it focuses on developing common approaches that financial institutions can use to build and connect digital money systems.
Its progress will depend on cooperation between policymakers and industry participants. Shared arrangements could make it easier for institutions to connect their systems, while national rules will continue to shape how services operate.
MAS, Crypto Tokenization and the Role of Sovereign Nations
MAS, crypto tokenization, and cross-border payments are closely linked in BLOOM. The initiative encompasses digital forms of money that can move between financial institutions and jurisdictions.
Tokenized deposits represent bank deposits recorded through digital token systems. Regulated stablecoins are another form of digital money included in the initiative. BLOOM aims to explore how these forms can be accepted and settled across different networks.
The growing participation of central banks gives the initiative a public policy role. Rather than leaving industry players to develop separate arrangements, MAS, BNM and BOT will work with businesses to establish common approaches.
BLOOM has also expanded its industry participation. New participants include Airwallex, Mastercard, Maybank, Monee, Nium, Ripple, ShopeePay, Visa and the World Bank Group.
Existing participants include Anchorage Digital, Ant International, Circle, Coinbase, DBS, JPMorgan, Kasikornbank, OCBC, Partior, Schroders, Standard Chartered, StraitsX, Stripe, Temasek, UOB and Xweave.
The World Bank Group brings experience in payment system modernization, cross-border payments, and financial inclusion. Its participation also gives developing economies a voice in discussions about how digital money systems should work.
For sovereign nations, the central issue is how to support cross-border digital money while respecting local rules. BLOOM provides a setting for policymakers and businesses to work through these questions together.
