Ten major European banks have launched RL1, a cooperative blockchain network headquartered in Luxembourg, designed exclusively for regulated financial markets.
RL1 (Regulated Layer One) symbolizes a breakthrough in Europe’s digital finance strategy, offering a shared infrastructure for tokenized assets, payments, and settlement.
The RL1 officially began operations on July 28, 2026, as a European Cooperative Society (SCE). Founding members include ABN AMRO, DekaBank, DZ BANK, Natixis CIB, Crédit Mutuel, Cecabank, LBBW, SC Ventures (Standard Chartered), Chartered Investment, and Seturion (Börse Stuttgart Group).
The network builds on the SWIAT platform, which has already processed more than €700 million in transactions. Unlike public blockchains, RL1 excludes speculative tokens and focuses solely on regulated capital market applications.
The RL1 cooperative was created to reduce fragmentation in blockchain adoption among European financial institutions. Through the pooling of resources and governance, the network ensures equal participation and prevents dominance by any single bank.
Its goal is to provide a neutral, compliance‑optimized infrastructure for digital securities, stablecoins, and collateral management, aligning with EU frameworks such as MiCA and the DLT Pilot Regime.
How the Infrastructure Works
Blockchain infrastructure refers to the technical backbone that enables distributed ledger technology (DLT).
In RL1’s case, it is a permissioned network, meaning only authorized institutions can participate. This infrastructure supports issuance, settlement, and custody of tokenized assets, ensuring transparency, immutability, and efficiency while remaining compliant with financial regulations.
RL1 is designed to support digital bond issuance, real‑world asset tokenization, on‑chain collateral management, and regulated stablecoins.
For example, banks can issue tokenized securities directly on the network, settle transactions instantly, and manage collateral across borders with reduced friction. These use cases are expected to accelerate adoption of tokenized finance in Europe, providing a compliant venue for institutions to experiment with next‑generation financial products.
A Synergy Between Traditional and Decentralized Finance
The launch of RL1 signifies Europe’s determination to lead in regulated digital finance. Through exclusion of public crypto tokens and focusing on institutional workflows, RL1 positions itself as a trusted alternative to platforms like JPMorgan’s Onyx or the Canton Network.
Its cooperative ownership model and alignment with EU regulation could give it a competitive edge, especially as Europe pushes for harmonized digital capital market infrastructure.
The digital asset landscape, moreover, gear towards institutional adoption of blockchain without speculative exposure through RL1. It implicates that the future of tokenization lies in regulated, collaborative networks that integrate seamlessly with central bank currencies and existing financial systems.
When cooperative governance is combined with regulatory alignment and proven infrastructure, RL1 prompts a blueprint for how digital assets can be integrated into mainstream finance.
The RL1 also provides market participants a secure, compliant environment to explore tokenization, settlement, and digital money, setting the stage for Europe to become a global leader in institutional blockchain adoption.
