ClearToken and Consensys Launch 24/7 Regulated Settlement Infrastructure for Wholesale Markets

ClearToken and Consensys have entered a strategic partnership to bridge the gap between cryptographic finality and legal settlement finality for wholesale markets. By integrating Consensys’ blockchain infrastructure with ClearToken’s regulated clearing framework, the collaboration enables banks to move tokenised assets and cash 24/7, addressing the critical lack of round-the-clock post-trade infrastructure in traditional finance.

What was announced

ClearToken and Consensys have formed a strategic partnership to provide wholesale market participants with a regulated pathway for 24/7 clearing and settlement of tokenised assets. The collaboration focuses on merging "cryptographic finality"—the technical assurance that on-chain transactions are immutable—with "settlement finality," which provides the legal certainty required for wholesale financial transfers. This initiative aims to solve the discrepancy between 24/7 digital asset movements and traditional post-trade infrastructure that operates on restricted schedules.

The partnership utilises ClearToken CSD Limited, which operates under Gate 2 approval within the Bank of England’s Digital Securities Sandbox. This status allows the entity to recognise tokenised securities from various banks as single fungible instruments. These assets are intended to be settled on a delivery-versus-payment (DvP) basis against multiple forms of cash, including traditional fiat, tokenised deposits, and stablecoins. This process is supported by ClearToken Depository Limited, the group’s FCA-authorised payment institution.

Consensys provides the underlying technical layer, offering scalable blockchain infrastructure and wallet solutions to facilitate distribution to institutional clients. The partnership is designed to ensure interoperability across different blockchain networks and financial market infrastructures (FMIs), allowing brokers and asset managers to maintain their existing risk and collateral management workflows while operating in an "always-on" environment. By operating within the UK regulatory perimeter, the firms aim to provide a route to round-the-clock markets without compromising on institutional control or legal certainty.

"Wholesale markets are embracing a diverse and growing ecosystem of networks and blockchains. Realising the full potential of that ecosystem depends on infrastructure that connects the banks, assets and ledgers already in use, and works across whichever networks institutions choose to distribute cash and assets to their clients. Consensys brings the technology and the institutional relationships to deliver that at scale. We are building the legal and clearing framework institutions need in order to rely on it."

Ben Santos-Stephens, CEO of ClearToken Group.

The companies involved

Consensys is a prominent protocols and institutional infrastructure company in the blockchain sector. It is widely recognised for developing foundational Ethereum-based tools, including the MetaMask wallet and the Linea network. The firm focuses on delivering interoperability for bank-issued tokens and connecting financial institutions to various blockchain ecosystems in a compliant manner. Consensys has established a significant presence in the market, frequently partnering with major financial players to integrate decentralised technology into traditional workflows.

ClearToken is a UK-based market infrastructure group specifically designed to handle both digital and traditional assets. The group consists of multiple specialised entities, including ClearToken CSD Limited and ClearToken Depository Limited. Its primary objective is to build a regulated clearing and settlement framework that meets the requirements of the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). By positioning itself within the UK’s Digital Securities Sandbox, ClearToken acts as a bridge between the technical efficiency of distributed ledger technology and the legal protections required by global wholesale markets. The company’s leadership includes executives with deep experience in commercial banking and market infrastructure.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely followed the evolution of both firms as they navigate the intersection of regulation and decentralised finance. In September 2026, we reported that the Bank of England Authorises ClearToken for 24/7 Tokenised Securities Settlement, a move that set the stage for the current partnership. Consensys has also been a frequent subject of coverage, particularly regarding its infrastructure scaling. In 2025, FF News detailed how Linea Sets New Standard for Ethereum Alignment with Native ETH Yield, ETH Burn Mechanism, and 85% Ecosystem Token Allocation. Additionally, we covered the firm’s broader integration efforts, such as when OKX and Consensys Announce Strategic Partnership, Integrating DEX API for MetaMask and MEV Protection for OKX Wallet. The firm’s role in the wider ecosystem was also highlighted in reports regarding Mastercard Unveils End-to-End Capabilities to Power Stablecoin Transactions – From Wallets to Checkouts, which underscored the growing institutional demand for stablecoin and tokenisation infrastructure.

What this means

The partnership addresses the most persistent bottleneck in the tokenisation of finance: the "T+0" paradox. While assets can move instantly on a blockchain, the legal and regulatory frameworks for clearing have historically remained tethered to traditional banking hours. By aligning cryptographic finality with a regulated CSD framework, this move puts significant pressure on legacy clearing houses to accelerate their own digital transformations. The industry now faces a critical question: can a unified settlement layer successfully aggregate liquidity across fragmented tokenised deposits and stablecoins? If successful, this model could shift the standard for wholesale markets from batch processing to continuous, real-time settlement, fundamentally altering how collateral is managed globally.