Emirates NBD Launches Region’s First Blockchain-Based Real-Time USD Payments

Emirates NBD is live on the Partior network, a multi-currency, blockchain-based clearing and settlement network, becoming the first financial institution in the region to enable real-time, blockchain-based cross-border payments on Partior’s infrastructure. The launch marks the first phase of a broader roadmap to expand the capability across additional currencies, settlement corridors and more participating banks globally as the Partior network scales.

This milestone underscores Emirates NBD’s leadership in payments innovation, as the bank continues to integrate emerging technologies that deliver competitive advantages to its clients. These include improved faster settlements and greater payment transparency, reflecting a significant step in cross-border payments infrastructure.

Following a successful live USD transaction, where J.P. Morgan acted as both the settlement and beneficiary bank, Emirates NBD is now enabling real-time USD payments for its corporate and institutional clients, with beneficiary accounts held at J.P. Morgan. The achievement is a direct outcome of Emirates NBD’s strategic partnership and investment in Partior. By moving from partnership to live execution within a short time frame, Emirates NBD reaffirms its ability to operationalise emerging technologies at scale within a trusted and regulated banking framework.

Anith Daniel, Group Head of Transaction Banking Services at Emirates NBD, said, “As the needs of our corporate and institutional clients evolve, we continue to deliver innovative solutions that create value for their businesses. Moving from partnership to live execution on the Partior network enables us to offer faster USD settlement for J.P. Morgan beneficiaries, supporting more efficient treasury operations for our clients. This launch reflects our ability to deploy payment solutions that are secure, scalable and proven in live cross-border execution with global counterparties.”

The development comes as financial institutions globally are increasingly adopting blockchain-based settlement infrastructure to reduce friction, improve payment transparency and accelerate cross-border capital flows.
Humphrey Valenbreder, Chief Executive Officer at Partior, said, “We are combining Emirates NBD’s regional strength with our blockchain-based clearing and settlement infrastructure to support more efficient global payments. This gives institutions greater speed and transparency in how transactions are processed. The focus now is on expanding participation across currencies and markets as more banks connect and transact on the network.”